Assign VALUES to VAR from SWITCH statement

[Anonymous]

In DAX I want to assign different values to a VAR based on another measure.

My idea was to use a switch but it doesn't work:

Intended_Measure := VAR Test = SWITCH( [SelectMeasure],1,VALUES(TABLE[Column1]),2,VALUES(TABLE[Column2]))
RETURN( ... )

If I take a non varing VAR it does work.

Intended_Measure := VAR Test = VALUES(TABLE[Column1])

RETURN( ... )

Is there a way to make my first approach work??

Thanks

[v-juanli-msft]

Hi @Anonymous

Could you show an example of your data and expected output?

Best regards

Maggie

[Anonymous]

Hello @v-juanli-msft,

My data is more or less as follows:

TABLE : 

Column1	Column2
A	A1
A	A2
B	B
C	C

OTHERTABLE:

Columnx	Value
A	1
A1	2
A2	3
B	4
C	5

[AlB]

Hi @Anonymous

SWITCH( ) returns a scalar. You are attempting to return a table. Try with nested IFs:

Intended_Measure :=
VAR Test =
    IF (
        [SelectMeasure] = 1,
        VALUES ( TABLE[Column1] ),
        IF ( [SelectMeasure] = 2, VALUES ( TABLE[Column2] ) )
    )
RETURN
    ( ..... )

[Anonymous]

Hello @AlB,

I changed the SWITCH to a nested IF but I run into the same problem.

I'm using the TEST variable as a condition in the return clause:

Intended_Measure :=
VAR Test =
    IF (
        [SelectMeasure] = 1,
        VALUES ( TABLE[Column1] ),
        IF ( [SelectMeasure] = 2, VALUES ( TABLE[Column2] ) )
    )
RETURN
    ( CALCULATE(SUM([Measure]), FILTER(OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columnx] in TEST)) ) 

I receive the error:

The function expects a table expression for argument '', but a string or numeric expression was used.

If I use VALUES(TABLE[Column1]) in the filter clause it works correctly.

[AlB · Accepted solution]

@Anonymous

You're right. It seems IF returns a scalar too. I would then try one of the following. In any case, I'd also be interested in seeing other approaches. Does anyone have other ideas?  It might be a good idea to open up another thread asking for them.

Intended_Measure :=
VAR Test1 =
    VALUES ( TABLE[Column1] )
VAR Test2 =
    VALUES ( TABLE[Column2] )
RETURN
    IF (
        [SelectMeasure] = 1,
        CALCULATE (SUM ( [Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columnx] IN Test1 )
        ),
        IF (
            [SelectMeasure] = 2,
            CALCULATE (SUM ( [Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columnx] IN Test2 )
            )
        )
    )

or without the VARs:

Intended_Measure :=
IF (
    [SelectMeasure] = 1,
    CALCULATE (SUM ( [Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columnx] IN VALUES ( TABLE[Column1] ) )
    ),
    IF (
        [SelectMeasure] = 2,
        CALCULATE (SUM ( [Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columnx] IN VALUES ( TABLE[Column2] ) )
        )
    )
)

[Anonymous]

@AlB

My plan B is using your second approach with a SWITCH.
The issue is that I have 3 filters to apply. I believe it is way cleaner to keep a single measure with the VALUES in 3 variables rather than nesting measures one upon each other.

Thanks in any case.

[AlB]

@Anonymous

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Keep in mind though that measures too  can only hold scalars, not tables.

[Anonymous]

@AlB
My idea for two filters is as follows:

Intended_Measure :=
SWITCH ( [SelectMeasure] ,
 1, CALCULATE (SUM ( [Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columnx] IN VALUES ( TABLE[Column1] ) ) ),
   2, CALCULATE (SUM ( [Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columnx] IN VALUES ( TABLE[Column2] ) ) )
)

Intended_Measure2 :=
SWITCH ( [SelectMeasure2] ,
 1, CALCULATE (SUM ( [Intended_Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columny] IN VALUES ( TABLE2[Column1] ) ) ),
   2, CALCULATE (SUM ( [Intended_Measure] ), FILTER ( OTHERTABLE, OTHERTABLE[Columny] IN VALUES ( TABLE2[Column2] ) ) )
)

If I could store the VALUES conditionally I could include this in a single measure. As I cannot, I rather nest measures than defining the 5*5*5 = 125 combinations I would need to define. I did some tests and it seems to work correctly.

[v-juanli-msft]

Hi @Anonymous

It doesn't support to use a measure inside a function SUM.

Does the answers above finally solve your problem?

Best Regards

Maggie