I've been playing a bit with the paramvalue and the prompt macro. We're using them for parameter default values of optional prompts in data elements (before CA 12).
In reports I didn't figure out a functional difference as long as I'm using a prompt widget from the toolbox anyway (what makes the parameter exist).
In data modules the prompt macro creates an optional prompt and the paramvalue macro not (like you told). That could be meaningful in dashboards where you have limited options to handle parameters. In reports that could be annoying if not needed.
I didn't figure out how to use the paramvalue macro such that it doesn't turn a multi select parameter into a single select one. The paramvalue and paramdisplayvalue layout calculations in turn can handle multi select parameters. Is it such that the paramvalue macro doesn't support multi select at all? Or if it's possible, how?
Original Message:
Sent: Fri September 01, 2023 08:31 AM
From: Marc Reed
Subject: Macro ParamValue function always returns a string
@HENK CAZEMIER an update for you. I did a similar thing using STRIP. It made the code a bit easier.
#strip( ParamValue ( 'PString', ' cast ( null as varchar(20)) ' , 'token' ), "'") #
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Marc Reed
Original Message:
Sent: Thu August 31, 2023 03:24 PM
From: HENK CAZEMIER
Subject: Macro ParamValue function always returns a string
Hi Marc,
There is a workaround for this issue that may work in your situation. This workaround will continue to work even when the bug-fix has been delivered, as long as the response to the prompt is not a quoted string.
Instead of using:
#ParamValue ( 'PString', ' cast ( null as varchar(20)) ' , 'token' )#
Change it to:
# substitute("'$", "", substitute("^'", "",
ParamValue ( 'PString', ' cast ( null as varchar(20)) ' , 'token' )
))
#
It's a Buckley fix (It tastes awful, and it works).
The substitute operations take out a single quote at the beginning and end of the response of the prompt.
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Kind regards,
Henk Cazemier
Original Message:
Sent: Thu August 31, 2023 12:38 PM
From: HENK CAZEMIER
Subject: Macro ParamValue function always returns a string
Hi Marc,
Sorry for the inconvenience, it is a bug.
When 'token' is given as a datatype, it is erroneously interpreted as a 'string'.
Customer support will follow up with you and get it logged.
(It was introduced for handling the global parameter that gives the 'Time perspective' for the Date Relative calculations that are defined in the Gregorian Calendar Data Module. )
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Kind regards,
Henk Cazemier
Original Message:
Sent: Wed August 30, 2023 04:21 AM
From: Marc Reed
Subject: Macro ParamValue function always returns a string
Anyone know how to get the ParamValue macro function to not return a string? Here is a simple challenge using the Branches query in the sample GO data module - but should be easy to replicate on any data module.
Create a macro like this: #'Branch_code'#
This macro is the equivalent of a calculation just saying Branch_code. You can see in the preview it is working as expected - its just returning the values in the branch code column.
How about: #ParamValue( 'UnresolvedParameter', 'Branch_code', 'token' )#
I would expect this to show the same. I am asking for a token, not a string. Yet this returns:
Even using the help example, returns a string....
If you try that last example then this is returned....
Not the expression but a string of the expression...
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Marc Reed
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