What Is Master-Detail Linking of Views?

Master-detail linking of views enables you to establish a relationship between two or more views such that one view, called the master view, drives data changes in one or more other views, called detail views.

For example, suppose you have the following two views:

A table that shows Dollars by Region
A graph that shows Dollars by Brand with Region on a section slider

Using the master-detail linking functionality, you can link the two views so that when you click a particular Region in the table, the Region on the section slider of the graph as well as the data in the graph changes to reflect the Region that was clicked on the table. For example in Figure 3-29, clicking EMEA in the table in the C50 Region column, positions the thumb in the section slider on EMEA and updates the data in the graph to the data for EMEA.

Figure 3-29 Master-Detail Linking of Views

This image is described in the surrounding text.

Note:

Master-detail linking is not supported when you click the plot area of a graph.

What Are Master Views?

A master view drives data changes in one or more detail views. A view becomes a master when you set up the interaction of a column in the view to send master-detail events on designated channels. This column is known as the master column.

The master column is the column whose values when clicked send a master-detail event, which passes information to update the data in a detail view.

The following types of views can be master views:

Graph
Funnel graph
Gauge
Map
Pivot table
Table
Trellis (only the outer edges, not the inner visualizations)

A master view can be in the same analysis as the detail view or in a different analysis. A master view can update data in one or more detail views.

What Types of Columns Can Be Master Columns

Any type of column — hierarchical, attribute, or measure — can be a master column. However, the master column cannot be displayed on the page edge or the section slider in the master view. It must be displayed in the body of the view.

Note:

While hierarchical columns are supported as master columns, if a user clicks a hierarchy level, then a change takes effect in the detail view only if the level is expanded there as well.

What Information Do Master-Detail Events Pass?

When a master-detail event is raised, it passes the definition of the cell (or item) in the master view that was clicked. The specific information it passes depends on the type of column:

For an attribute column, it passes the clicked value and the contextual information to the left and above the axis member.

For example, in Figure 3-30, if the attribute column C51 Area is the master column, and you click Central (highlighted in blue), then the master-detail event information passed is C50 Region = AMERICAS and C51 Area = Central.

Figure 3-30 Master-Detail Event Information for an Attribute Column
For a measure column, it passes all the contextual information for the data value.

For example, in Figure 3-31, if the measure column 1 - Revenue is the master column, and you click 5,490,176 (highlighted in blue), then the master-detail event information passed is C50 Region = AMERICAS, C51 Area = North America, and T05 Per Name Year = 2010.

Figure 3-31 Master-Detail Event Information for a Measure Column

The master-detail event information defines the position of a page edge or a section slider in a detail view.

What Are Channels?

A channel links a master view to a detail view. It is the vehicle that carries master-detail events from the master view to the detail view. The same channel must be used for both the master view and the detail view in a master-detail relationship, for example, Channel1. Note that the channel name is case sensitive.

What Are Detail Views?

A detail view is a view that listens for and responds to master-detail events sent by a master view on a specified channel. A view becomes a detail view, when you set up the view to listen to master-detail events.

A detail view includes one or more columns whose values are changed directly by the information passed by a master-detail event. These columns are known as detail columns. A detail column must:

Be on the page edge or the section slider of the detail view. Whether a detail column is displayed on the page edge or a section slider, depends on the type of view:

For pivot tables and tables, it must be on the page edge

For graphs and gauges, it can be on the page edge, or on the section slider

Note:

If a detail column is on a section slider and a page edge is present, the detail column is not updated by the information in the master-detail event. For example, if the information in the event is C50 Region=AMERICAS and T05 Per Name Year=2009, and the page edge of the detail view has Region and the section slider has Years, then only the Region is updated.

Match a column in the master view

When a detail view contains multiple detail columns, it is listening for and responding to master-detail events on multiple channels.

The following types of views can be detail views:

Graph
Funnel graph
Gauge
Map
Pivot table
Table
Trellis (only the outer edges, not the inner visualizations)

A detail view:

Can listen for master-detail events from multiple master views
Can be in the same analysis as the master view or in a different analysis
Cannot act as a master to another view

How Does Master-Detail Linking of Views Work?

When a master view and a detail view are linked and a user clicks a cell (or item) in the master column, a master-detail event is generated on the designated channel and the master-detail event information is passed to the detail view.

The detail view (which is listening on the designated channel for master-detail events) receives the event and the master-detail event information. It reviews the master-detail event information to determine which column in this information matches the detail column. When it finds a match, it takes the column values in the master-detail event information, updates the detail column, and then refreshes the entire detail view.

Note:

If a master column is on a section slider, then any detail view that is not visible initially in the browser is not updated and refreshed until the view becomes visible when you scroll down. For more information on section sliders, see "Defining Section Sliders in Graphs and Gauges".

For an example of how master-detail linking of views works, see "Example of a Table and Graph Linked in a Master-Detail Relationship".