7.2.4 Parameter Sheets
If query or report parameters are defined for a report (see Parameterization above), then the user is prompted with a default parameter screen when they first open the report. This screen prompts the user for all of the parameters for which 'Prompt User' is enabled in the Style Studio 'Parameter Definition' dialog box.
You can also create a custom parameter prompt by designing an input form with Style Studio's Form Elements. This gives you much greater flexibility positioning and styling the input controls. It also allows you to sequence and adaptively populate the input controls so as to smoothly guide the user through the input process, and prevent the report from returning empty result sets.
Walkthrough
To create and use a custom parameter sheet, follow the steps below:
1. Click the 'New' button in the Style Studio toolbar. This opens the 'New Asset' dialog box.
2. In the left panel, select the 'Component' node. From the right 'Types' panel, select 'Parameter Sheet'. Click 'OK'.

3. Add a form element to the new report which has a 'Field Name' identical to the name of the parameter. For this example, follow the steps below to add a Choice element:

a. Drag a Choice element to the report.
b. Right-click the Choice element, and select 'Properties' from the context menu. This opens the 'Choice Properties' dialog box. Click on the Choice tab.
c. For the 'Field Name' specify “StateList”.
d. In the 'List Values' panel, enable the 'Embedded' option, and press the 'Edit' button. This opens the 'Selection List' dialog box.

e. Press the 'Add' button, and enter “NY” for both the 'Label' and the 'Value'. Repeat to add “NJ” and “PA” as additional choices. Press 'OK' to close the dialog box.

f. Enable the 'Submit on Change' option. This automatically submits the form when the element is used to make a selection, without requiring the user to explicitly click a 'Submit' button.
g. In the 'Tooltip' field, enter the text “Select a state.” This text will display when the user hovers the mouse over the input control.
h. Click 'OK' to close the 'Choice Properties' dialog box.
9. Add a Text element to complete the form. Set the text contents to “State”. (See Text Element for more information.)

10. Click the 'Save' button. In the dialog box, enter “StateList” as the name of the parameter sheet, and click 'OK'.

The parameter sheet is saved inside the stylereport.srl file, which stores all reusable report components. This parameter sheet is now available for use with any report.
11. Open the report to which you wish to add the parameter sheet.
12. Select Report → Parameter from the Style Studio main menu. This opens the 'Parameter Definition' dialog box.
13. Click the Prompting tab, and select 'Use Parameter Sheets'.
The 'End point' box displays in red all report parameters defined in queries, data bindings, and in the 'Parameters' dialog box. As you link parameter sheets to the report, the parameters provided by those sheets turn from red to black in the 'End point' box. Note that a parameter needs to be provided only on a single path – not on every possible path – in order for its name to appear in black.
14. Click the 'Edit' button. This opens the 'Parameter Flow' dialog box.
15. Select the “StateList” parameter sheet from the left panel, and drag it into the window containing the 'Start point' and 'End point' boxes.
16. Click on the 'Start point' box, and drag the mouse over the 'StateList' box. This creates a link between the two boxes.
17. Click on the 'StateList' box, and drag the mouse over the 'End point' box. This creates a link between the two boxes which is labeled “condition1.

For more information about the features of the 'Parameter Flow' dialog box, see Cascading Parameter Sheets.
18. Click 'OK' in the 'Parameter Flow' dialog box, and then click 'OK' to exit the 'Parameter Definition' dialog box.
19. Select → in the Style Studio menu. Click the tab of the 'Style Studio Configuration' dialog box, and enable 'Preview Server Features'. Click 'OK' to close the dialog box.

20. Preview the report and observe the custom parameter prompting.
See Also
Parameter Dialog HTML Template, in Administration Reference, for information on customizing the default parameter prompting screen.
Parameter Dialog CSS File, in Administration Reference, for information on styling the default parameter prompting screen.
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