Expression variables
The relative date filter expression uses a set of variables to define the filter conditions. The variables evaluate to specific values when the filter is applied in visualizations.
Use the information in this topic when creating relative date filter expressions.
The following Prior Year filter expression from the sample Gregorian calendar can be used as an illustration when reading descriptions of the variables:
// validate: 1 = 1
#$_this.parent.idForExpression# >=
#queryValue($_this.parent.split.ref + '.dYear',
$_this.parent.split.ref + '.TheDate = ' +
queryValue($_this.parent.split.ref + '.PY_TheDate',
$_this.parent.split.ref + '.TheDate = ' + $_as_of_date)
)#
AND
#$_this.parent.idForExpression# <
#queryValue($_this.parent.split.ref + '.dYear',
$_this.parent.split.ref + '.TheDate = ' + $_as_of_date)#
$_this.parent
This variable refers to a table column of
type Date
whose Lookup reference property is set to the
calendar that you are referencing. The table with the Date
column is in the data
module that is used for relative date analysis. For more information, see Creating a data module for relative date analysis.
For example, in the following data module,
$_this.parent
refers to the Open Date column.

The following two
variables function within the context of the Date
column:
$_this.parent.idForExpression
This variable evaluates to the
idForExpression
for theDate
column. TheidForExpression
is the full identifier that uniquely identifies theDate
column within the data module. This identifier is not viewable from the user interface.$_this.parent.split.ref
This variable evaluates to the calendar that is referenced by the Lookup reference property of the
Date
column.
All date filters in the calendar, including the new ones that you add, are accessible as
child filters of the Date
column in the data module that references this calendar
through the Lookup reference property. The filters are used for relative date
analysis in reports and dashboards.
queryValue
queryValue
is one of the macro functions that Cognos®
Analytics
provides.
queryValue
macro, click the
functions tab in the expression editor and search for the macro. The description is shown in the
Information pane.Within the context of relative date filters, queryValue
returns the date value
from the specified Date
column, at the specified date. The specified
Date
column is the first parameter to the queryValue
function. The
second parameter is the specified date.
In the following example from the year-to-date (YTD) filter, the queryValue
returns, from the calendar column dYear
, the date where the calendar
TheDate
date equals to the _as_of_date
date.
#queryValue($_this.parent.split.ref + ‘.dYear’,
$_this.parent.split.ref + ‘.TheDate = ‘ + $_as_of_date)#