> #### How to insert a parameter marker in the SQL query

> This procedure assumes that you already created a data set.

> 1 | In Data Explorer, right-click the data set for which you want to edit the query, then choose Edit. Edit Data Set displays the query.

> 2 | Add a WHERE clause with one or more parameters, as shown in the following examples:

> WHERE quantityinstock < ?
> WHERE quantityinstock <= ? AND productvendor = ?
> WHERE quantityinstock <= ? OR productline LIKE ?
> Figure 11-2 shows an example of a query with two parameter markers.

> Figure 11-2 Query with two parameter markers

> At this point, you are ready to define a data set parameter for each ? parameter marker. The next section describes this task.

> #### How to define a data set parameter

> This procedure assumes that you already inserted a parameter marker in the SQL query.

> 1 | In Data Explorer, double-click the data set for which you want to create parameters. Edit Data Set displays the query.

> 2 | Choose Parameters. Edit Data Set displays the Parameters page. This page displays placeholder data set parameters, which BIRT Report Designer creates for each ? parameter marker in the WHERE clause of the query.

> 3 | Edit each data set parameter. Select a parameter and choose Edit.

> 4 | In Edit Parameter, specify the following information:

> 1 | In Name, type a name for the data set parameter. It is good practice to use a prefix, such as DSP, to differentiate the data set parameter from other parameter types, such as report parameters.

> 2 | In Data type, select a data type for the parameter.

> 3 | In Direction, choose Input. This value means that the parameter is an input parameter.

> 4 | In Linked To Report Parameter, select the report parameter to bind to this data set parameter.

> Figure 11-3 shows an example of a data set parameter definition where the data set parameter, DSP_quantityinstock, is linked to a report parameter, RP_quantityinstock.

> Figure 11-3 Data set parameter definition

> 5 | Choose OK.

> 5 | Repeat steps 3 and 4 to define additional data set parameters for any other parameter markers in the SQL query.

> 6 | To save the changes to the data set, choose OK.

> 7 | Test the parameters to verify that the query is updated with user-specified values and that the report shows the results you expect.

> 1 | Choose Preview.

> 2 | If Enter Parameters does not appear, choose Refresh Report.

> Enter Parameters displays all the report parameters you created. Figure 11-4 shows example report parameters, RP_quantityinstock and RP_productvendor. The parameter names appear because values were not supplied for the Prompt text property.

> Figure 11-4 Enter Parameters

> 3 | Specify a value for each parameter, then choose OK.

> If you completed all the tasks that were described earlier in this section, the WHERE clause of the query incorporates the specified values, and the report displays the rows that match the WHERE clause.

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