# ColumnHint

Provides a number of report-related data attributes about a result set column.

### Description

A column hint defines report-related data attributes about a retrieved column or a computed column.

### See Also

## columnName

The name of the result set column for which hints are defined.

### Description

This property keys the column hint to a column within the result set. The name is defined either by the data provider, a result set column definition, or a computed column definition.

### See Also

## alias

Provides an "alias" name to the column for use within the report.

### Description

Provides an "alias" name to the column for use within the report. Useful if the column names are awkward. Optional.

### See Also

## searching

Indicates how the column will be used when searching.

### Choices

- any: The column is always searchable, whether it is indexed or not.
- indexed: The column is searchable if it is indexed.
- none: The column is not searchable.

### Description

Indicates how the column will be used when searching.

### See Also

## export

Determines how the column will be used when exporting data.

### Choices

- if-realized: The column can be exported only if it is referenced somewhere in the report.
- always: The column can always be exported. This setting acts like a column reference, and forces the column to be realized even if the column is not otherwise used within the report.
- none: The column cannot be exported.

### Description

Determines how the column will be used when exporting data.

### See Also

## analysis

Determines how the column is used when exporting the data to an OLAP cube.

### Choices

- auto: BIRT will attempt to guess the proper use of the column.
- dimension: The column is a dimension. Use the Parent Dimension property to define the dimension hierarchy.
- measure: The column is numeric measure.
- detail: The column provides additional information about a dimension. Use the Parent Dimension property to define the dimension for which this column is a detail.
- none: The column should not be exported for use with OLAP.

### Description

Determines how the column is used when exporting the data to an OLAP cube. OLAP cubes require that the columns be structured into dimension hierarchies. Such hierarchies are formed though a sequence of dimensions. The intersection of hierarchies has one or more numeric measures. Columns that are neither dimensions nor measures can be detail attributes associated with a dimension. Whether any given column is actually available for use with analysis depends on the Export property above.

### See Also

## parentLevel

Specifies the parent of the column when exporting the data to an OLAP cube.

### Description

Used when a column’s Analysis property is set to Dimension or Detail. For Dimensions, this property establishes the dimension hierarchy. Lower (more detailed) dimensions identify their parent (more general) dimensions. For details, this property identifies the dimension for which this column is a detail attribute.

### See Also

## format

The format string used to format the column data when displaying the value in the search result UI.

### Description

An optional BIRT format string used to format the column data when displaying the value in the viewing UI, especially within the search results.

### See Also

Style `format` properties

## displayName

The optional localizable display name for the column.

### Description

The name displayed to the end-user for the column. The display name can be localized. If the display name is omitted, the column name itself is displayed instead.

### See Also

## helpText

The optional localizable descriptive text that explains the column to the end user.

### Description

Additional pop-up help text associated with the column. This descriptive text can explain the purpose of the column to the end user. The help text can be localized.

### See Also