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Parameters to be supported in Query Titles

Posted: 17 Sep 2008 08:19
by GladToBeGrey
The ability to include (multiple) query parameters directly in Query Titles, and have them correctly evaluated. At the moment they are not; further, if you try to use a function to evaluate them, it either doesn't work - e.g. =ForceText() - OR you get prompted for a seperate instance of the parameter (and not of the required data type).

There is already a request for multiple functions to be supported in Query titles, which this request should be taken in conjuction with.

For example, in a query where parameter ['CutOff'] is used to input a threshold date for record selection, Title: 'Individuals born after ['CutOff'] and still alive at =Today()' doesn't evaluate ['CutOff']. Replacing ['CutOff'] by, for example, =Date(['CutOff']) does evaluate, but only by prompting for a separate instance of the parameter 'CutOff', and then only allows interger data entry, despite the parameter defined in the body of the query being a date.

ID:3043

Parameters to be supported in Query Titles

Posted: 17 Sep 2008 11:48
by SimonOrde
I can't think of an easy solution to this at present. The reason that =Date(['CutOff']) prompts for a separate instance of the parameter 'CutOff' is that the function 'Date' does not take a date as a parameter. It takes up to 3 integers (for year, month, day). Consequently, FH thinks that in this use, you are asking it to prompt for a year number.

FH will use the same prompt for different instances of a parameter in the same query if they use the same label AND are used to request data of the same type. A date is, from a computer's point of view, quite different from an integer (even if the integer is really a year).

If you want to, you can confim this by changing your filter from:

If %INDI.BIRT.DATE% was later than ['CutOff']

to

If %INDI.BIRT.DATE:YEAR% was later than ['CutOff']

In that case, even if you have =Date(['CutOff']) in the title, you will get only one prompt. However, I don't recommend you do that, for reasons that have been covered before - namely, the YEAR qualifier will return NULL for periods and ranges, and consequently is not recommended for use when comparing dates.

For now, I think you just have to live with having to enter the same info more than once when you run the query.

Parameters to be supported in Query Titles

Posted: 17 Sep 2008 13:59
by GladToBeGrey
Simon,  thanks for a prompt reply.  I take your point about =Date(); I should have spotted that  [rolleyes]

The desire for parameters to be allowed and evaluated in Titles still stands, though ... [smile]