Using a string as parameter within IN operator

[TRADER083]

Hi everyone,

I want to use a list as a filter based on a condition, however the following code indicates that final_list is not a valid table. The code will work if I use list1 or list2 directly, but not if I wrap them in the IF statement.

Do I need to convert final_list to a table for this to work?

VAR list1 = {"123", "456"}
VAR list2 = {"789"}
VAR final_list = IF(condition = true(), list1, list2)

RETURN FILTER (table, column IN final_list) <- final_list is not a valid table

Thank you,

Kevin

[ChielFaber · Accepted solution]

I tried recreating your problem by making a test table:

TestInputTable =

DATATABLE(

    "Code", STRING,

    "DummyValue", INTEGER,

    {

        { "123", 10 },

        { "456", 20 },

        { "789", 30 }

    }

)

After this I tried with dax to create a new calculated table that filters the original table based on a condition. I don't know which condition your using so I made a true/false condition in the dax code that could easily be switched out.

I made the table as follows:

Filtered TestInputTable =

VAR list1 = { "123", "456" }

VAR list2 = { "789" }

VAR UseList1 = TRUE()   -- of jouw echte conditie

RETURN

FILTER (

    'TestInputTable',

    IF (

        UseList1,

        'TestInputTable'[Code] IN list1,

        'TestInputTable'[Code] IN list2

    )

)

This results in a filtered calculated table:

and when condition is FALSE:

Hope this is helpfull

[TRADER083]

Thank you @ChielFaber, works as expected!

[dinesh_7780]

Hi @TRADER083 ,

Try below code.

VAR FinalList =

    IF(

        condition,

        ROW("Value","123") & ROW("Value","456"),

        ROW("Value","789")

    )

RETURN

FILTER(table, table[column] IN FinalList

[Value])

If my response as resolved your issue please mark it as solution and give kudos.

[TRADER083]

Thanks @dinesh_7780, unfortunately, it didn't work.

[Jaywant-Thorat]

Why your DAX doesn't work

In DAX:

• { "123", "456" } is an inline row constructor, not a table.
• list1 and list2 work in IN only when used directly, because DAX expands them inline.
• When you wrap them inside an IF, the return type becomes variant, and DAX no longer treats it as a table.

So yes — you must convert the list into a table before using it inside IN.

Correct DAX

Convert the list into a table using DATATABLE or SELECTCOLUMNS.

----------DAX----------
VAR list1 = SELECTCOLUMNS({ "123", "456" }, "Value", [Value])
VAR list2 = SELECTCOLUMNS({ "789" }, "Value", [Value])
VAR final_list = IF(condition = TRUE(), list1, list2)

RETURN
FILTER(
table,
table[column] IN final_list
)

----------DAX----------
Now final_list is a valid single-column table, and IN works perfectly.

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[TRADER083]

Hi @Jaywant-Thorat, unfortunately, it has the same error. Looks like the IF statement is still converting the result to variant.