Monthname: Is there a bug in this function

  • Can someone tell me if there is a bug/issue with the SSRS built in function MonthName

    The following expression in the header of my report returns an error on the True Part, but not on the false part

    IIF(Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value = 100," Year " , cstr(monthname(Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value)))

    Basically i have a drill through report based on Months but with a total for which i pass the month in as 100

  • =IIF(cint(Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value) = 100, monthname(1) , monthname(Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value))

    This also returns #error when Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value = 100, however if Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value is for example 10 'October' is returned

    This does not make any sense

  • I have figured out how to do it using a work around.

    it seems it must evaluate the expression from right to left

    if i include a second Parameter called Month_NAME2 and set its default as

    =IIF(Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value = 100,1,Parameters!THE_MONTH.Value)

    Then my text box will look at MONTH_NAME2 which will either be 1-12 or 1

    Work Around and SSRS seem to be 2 statements that go hand in hand

  • What you've run into is not necessarily an SSRS issue although it manifests itself there a lot. Especially when using IIF to catch divide by zero conditions.

    The problem is with the IIF function in VB.net.

    In BOL, under Visual Basic Language Reference - IIf Function

    (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/27ydhh0d(VS.71).aspx)

    it offers the following remark,

    "The expressions in the argument list can include function calls. As part of preparing the argument list for the call to IIf, the Visual Basic compiler calls every function in every expression. This means that you cannot rely on a particular function not being called if the other argument is selected by Expression."

    So...what's happening is, regardless of your trying to condition away the erroneous 'MONTHNAME(100)' condition, the compiler still sees it and throws the #error.

    The two most common workarounds are to either write a custom code function that accomplishes your end and then use it instead of the IIF or use a nested IIF in your 'false' condition. This second option works because the compiler does read from the most nested conditions outward.

    Given what you're trying to accomplish, I suggest a third option. try using the SWITCH() function. If you go to the link above, a link for SWITCH can be found at the bottom under See Also.

    HTH

    [font="Comic Sans MS"]toolman[/font]
    [font="Arial Narrow"]Numbers 6:24-26[/font]

  • I, too, am getting #Error when running my report. I'm trying to get the name of the month and year to display in my header. The year part works, but somehow the MonthName function is not working.

    =MonthName(Parameters!DateBegin.Value)

    Is there a diff function I should be using?

    thx.

  • latingntlman (10/29/2008)


    I, too, am getting #Error when running my report. I'm trying to get the name of the month and year to display in my header. The year part works, but somehow the MonthName function is not working.

    =MonthName(Parameters!DateBegin.Value)

    Is there a diff function I should be using?

    thx.

    Take a look here to see if it gives you any clues.

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zxbsw165(VS.71).aspx

    Another thought is you may need to break down your date value into month and year. Something like:

    =MonthName(Month(Parameters!DateBegin.Value))

    HTH

    [font="Comic Sans MS"]toolman[/font]
    [font="Arial Narrow"]Numbers 6:24-26[/font]

  • Use

    =MonthName(Month(Parameters!DateBegin.Value))

  • =MonthName(Month(Parameters!DateBegin.Value))

    This worked for me.

    Thanks!

    Ned

  • Problem With MonthName(10,True)

    So Following is the workaround.

    =Switch(Fields!rsmonth.Value=12,"DEC",

    Fields!rsmonth.Value <= 0,"")

  • =Switch(Fields!rsmonth.Value=12,"DEC",Fields!rsmonth.Value <= 0,"")

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