Define Parameters for Job Definitions

A parameter controls which records are included or how they are affected when a job runs. Job definitions can have one or more parameters or none at all.

You define parameters while creating or editing job definitions using the Manage Enterprise Scheduler Job Definitions and Job Sets page. In the Setup and Maintenance work area, use the following:

  • Functional Area: Application Extensions or a product-specific functional area

  • Task: Manage Enterprise Scheduler Job Definitions and Job Sets

When users run the scheduled process for job definitions of type BIPJobType, the values they enter for the parameters determine the data to be included in the report. Also, the values are passed to the data model that the report is using.

The parameters that you define must be in the same order as parameters in the data model for the report. For example, the data model has parameters in this order:

  • P_START_DATE

  • P_END_DATE

  • P_CURRENCY

You create parameters as follows:

  • Start Date

  • End Date

  • Currency

Defining Parameters: Job Definitions

To define parameters while creating or editing job definitions:

  1. On the Manage Job Definitions page, open the Parameters sub tab.

  2. Click Create.

  3. Enter the parameter prompt that users see when they submit the scheduled process.

  4. Select a data type and configure how the parameter and the data entered are displayed, as described in this table.

    Data Type

    Fields

    Boolean

    Select this if you want the parameter to be a check box.

    Select True or False to determine if the check box is selected or not.

    Date or time

    Select Date and time or Date only option.

    Select a value from the Default Date Format.

    Note: Make sure the format you select here is the same as the format used for the job. If the job definition type is BIPJobType, select yyyy-MM-dd, and make sure the data model for the corresponding Oracle Analytics Publisher report is using the same date format.

    Number

    Select a Number Format.

    Select Left or Right for data alignment.

    String

    Select a Page Element.

    Select Text box if you want the user to provide a text.

    Select Choice list if you want a list with limited options (maximum 10). If there are more than 500 values, users will get an error when they try to set the parameter as part of submitting the scheduled process.

    Select List of values if you want a list with unlimited options with a search facility.

  5. Select the Read Only check box if you don't want to enable users to set this parameter. When a parameter is set as read only, the user is required to provide a default value to be passed to the job definition.

  6. If you select list of values or choice list page element, select a List of Values Source and an Attribute. Use the list of values sources from the Manage List of Values Sources tab. Don't define lists of values in the data model that the report is using.

  7. From the list of available attributes, select the attributes you want to appear in the list and move them to the selected attributes section. These attributes determine the values that the user can see.

  8. Define a Default Value for the parameter.

  9. In the Tooltip Text field, provide additional information for the user to follow.

  10. Select the Required check box if users must set this parameter to submit the scheduled process.

  11. Select the Do not Display check box if users should not see this parameter while submitting the process.

  12. Click Save and Create Another or Save and Close.

Dependent Parameters

The attributes of some parameters depend on the attributes or values of certain other parameters. The attributes of a parameter would change if the value of its dependent parameter changes.

For example, you have three parameters, namely Country, State and, City. In this case, the value of the Country parameter would determine the values available in the State parameter. The values in the State parameter would determine the values available in the City parameter.