Scripting - Queryparm

This function prompts the user for the values of User-Defined Parameters. The following parameters are available:

• Parm

  The name of the parameter.

• Desc

  The display-name for the parameter. When the user is queried for the parameter-value, Desc is used to describe the parameter. Desc is optional and, if not specified, the same value as Parm will be used.

• Pwd

  If the parameter is non-display field, code pwd=y. When the parameter is entered by the user it is displayed as asterixes. You would use this option when prompting for a password to be entered.

  The Pwd parameter is not supported when a dropdown list is used (see the next section).

• Select

  This allows you to specify either:

  • a date-picker, for easy selection of a date / time or timestamp value
  • a dropdown list of values to user is able to select from

  The Select parameter is discussed later.

• Value

  The value the parameter will be set to. If not specified, it will take the existing value of the parameter.

  The values you can code here are the same as for Setparm. In addition, if you have specified a dropdown list, you can specify a value of <n>. The parameter will be set to the nth value from the dropdown list.

Once you define parameters (with either queryparm or setparm), AQT will scan all subsequent statements for reference to the parameters. Parameters are referred to by preceding the parameter name with a $.

Example 1:

--aqt queryparm,parm=sdate,desc=Start Date

select * from order_details where order_date > '$sdate'

Example 2:

--aqt queryparm,parm=userid,desc=Userid,parm=pwd,desc=Password,pwd=y

--aqt connect,dbs=sample,user=$userid,pwd=$pwd

See the file batch_parms.sql, which is deployed with AQT, for more examples of the use of parameters.

Restrictions

• parameters are case sensitive. You must refer to the parameters with the same case as you define them (in the above example it will find $userid but not $Userid) .
• up to 10 parameters can be specified.
• parameter replacement is fairly dumb. If you have parameters cust (=SMITH) and custcode (=JONES); coding $custcode will give you SMITHcode rather than JONES.
• queryparm requires screen input from the user. It should not be used for unattended operation.

Select

This allows you to specify:

• a date picker field where the user can select a date / time or timestamp value.
• a dropdown list of values; the user can select one of these values.

To specify a date picker, code one of:

• select=date
• select=time
• select=timestamp

To specify a drop down list, specify either:

• select=(comma-separated list of values)

  The values should be enclosed in double-quotes if they contain any special characters such as commas, spaces or brackets.

• select=(select statement)

  The select statement is run to populate the drop-down list.

Examples:

--aqt queryparm,parm=sdate,desc="Start Date",select=date,value=<date>

--aqt queryparm,parm=type,desc=Type,select=(T,P,S),value=T

--aqt queryparm,parm=order,desc="Order Number",select=(select distinct order_number from order_details),value=<1>