Modifying Parameters

The types of changes you are able to make to a Parameter definition or instance depend on many different interdependent factors:

• Some Parameter properties belong to the Parameter instance, some to the Parameter definition, and others to the Variable. These three definitional layers may each belong to a different container, and you may have different privileges on each.

• To modify a Parameter within a Program or other executable object, you must have Modify privileges on the Program or other executable object itself, and that object must be checked out.

• A Parameter Set instance must remain structurally the same as its Parameter Set definition. If you add or remove Parameter instances from a Parameter Set instance, the system automatically creates a new version of the Parameter Set definition and removes them there as well. You must have Modify privileges on the Parameter Set definition or you cannot add or remove Parameter instances from the Parameter Set instance, or change the source Parameter definition for Parameter instances within the Parameter Set instance.

• If you are working in an Execution Setup, you can make very few changes to Parameters.

You can make the following changes in the following locations:

Parameter Definition: Parameter definitions are located in two places: contained directly in an Application Area or contained directly in a Domain. In either of these locations, if you have the required privileges, you can do the following:

• Update the properties of the Parameter definition itself.

• Select a different source definition Variable for the Parameter definition.

• Check out the source definition Variable through the Parameter definition, then go to the Variable and modify it. The Parameter definition references the new version of the Variable.

Parameter Instance in a Parameter Set Definition: If you have the necessary privileges, you can go to a Parameter Set definition contained directly in a Domain or Application Area and modify the Parameter instances it contains. You can make the following changes:

• If you have the necessary privileges on the Parameter definition, you check out the Parameter definition through the Parameter instance, the go to the Parameter definition and modify it. The Parameter instance references the new version of the Parameter definition.

• Using the Update button, you can modify the properties belonging to the Parameter instance.

Parameter Instance in a Parameter Set Instance in an Executable Object: Parameter Set instances are located in Programs and other executables and in Execution Setups. The following applies to Parameter Set instances that are located anywhere except in an Execution Setup:

If you created the Parameter Set instance in the executable by creating Parameters based on an existing Parameter Set, the Parameter Set definition is located in an Application Area or Domain. In this case:

• You cannot check out the Parameter definition from a Parameter instance.

• You can select a different source definition Parameter for the Parameter instance only if you have Modify privileges on the Parameter Set definition. This is a structural change, and the system automatically checks out the Parameter Set definition and creates a new version of it with the change.

  Note:

  Load Sets, Data Marts, Business Areas, and some Program types have predefined Parameter instances whose source definition Parameters are located in Adapter Areas. You should not modify these Parameters, and the administrator should set up security so that it is not possible to modify the Parameter definitions.

If you created the Parameter Set instance in the executable by creating one Parameter at a time—either defining a new Parameter definition and instance, or creating an instance of an existing Parameter—then both the Parameter Set definition and the Parameter Set instance are located in the same executable. In this case:

• You can check out the source definition Parameter from the Parameter instance and make changes as necessary.

• Any structural changes you make—adding or removing Parameters, or selecting a different source definition Parameter for an instance—are automatically applied to the Parameter Set definition as well as the Parameter Set instance.

Parameter Instance in a Parameter Set Instance in an Execution Setup: You cannot update the Parameter instance or check out and modify the source definition Parameter from a Parameter instance contained in an Execution Setup.

• Modifying a Parameter Instance
  
• Modifying a Parameter Definition