Mode

Description

Calculates the mode of the values of the column. The mode is the most frequently occurring value.

Syntax

Mode ( column { FOR range { DISTINCT { expres1 {, expres2 {, ... } } } } } )

Argument	Description
column	The column for which you want the mode of the data values. Column can be the column name or the column number preceded by a pound sign (#). Column can also be an expression that includes a reference to the column. The datatype of column must be numeric.
FOR range (optional)	The data that will be included in the mode. For most presentation styles, values for range are: ALL – (Default) The mode of all values in column. GROUP n – The mode of values in column in the specified group. Specify the keyword GROUP followed by the group number: for example, GROUP 1. PAGE – The mode of the values in column on a page. For Crosstabs, specify CROSSTAB for range: CROSSTAB – (Crosstabs only) The mode of all values in column in the crosstab. For Graph objects, specify: GRAPH – (Graphs only) The mode of values in column in the range specified for the Rows option.
DISTINCT (optional)	Causes Mode to consider only the distinct values in column when determining the mode. For a value of column, the first row found with the value is used and other rows that have the same value are ignored.
expresn (optional)	One or more expressions that you want to evaluate to determine distinct rows. Expresn can be the name of a column, a function, or an expression.

Returns

The numeric datatype of the column. Returns the mode of the values of the rows in range if it succeeds and -1 if an error occurs.

Usage

If you specify range, Mode returns the mode of column in range. If you specify DISTINCT, Mode returns the mode of the distinct values in column, or if you specify expresn, the mode of column for each distinct value of expresn.

For graphs objects, you do not select the range when you call the function. The range has already been determined by the Rows setting on the Data property page (the Range property), and the aggregation function uses that range. Settings for Rows include:

For the Graph presentation style, Rows is always All.
For Graph controls, Rows can be All, Page, or Group.

In calculating the mode, null values are ignored.

Not in validation rules or filter expressions You cannot use this or other aggregate functions in validation rules or filter expressions.

Using an aggregate function cancels the effect of setting Retrieve Rows As Needed in the painter. To do the aggregation, a DataWindow object always retrieves all rows.

Examples

Example 1

This expression returns the mode of the values in the column named salary:

Mode(salary)

Example 2

This expression returns the mode of the values for group 1 in the column named salary:

Mode(salary for group 1)

Example 3

This expression returns the mode of the values in column 5 on the current page:

Mode(#5 for page)

Example 4

This computed field returns Above Mode if the mode of the salary for the page is greater than the mode for the report:

If(Mode(salary for page) > Mode(salary), "Above 
Mode", " ")

Example 5

This expression for a graph value sets the data value to the mode of the sale_price column:

Mode(sale_price)

Example 6

This expression for a graph value entered on the Data page in the graph’s property sheet sets the data value to the mode of the sale_price column for the entire graph:

Mode(sale_price for graph)

Example 7

Assuming a DataWindow object displays the order number, amount, and line items for each order, this computed field returns the mode of the order amount for the distinct order numbers:

Mode(order_amt for all DISTINCT order_nbr)