Feature - Report Parameters Setting ID Support

Feature - Report Parameters Setting ID Support

Release Date: 5/30/25
Version: 8.5 and above

This enhancement improves Elliott report printing capability by provide the following features:
  1. Allows the user to save report parameters to be used again. This is especially helpful for those reports require entering a lot of parameters.  The security to manager users who can add, change and delete re-usable parameters is also implemented.
  2. It also provides the ability to expand the parameter capabilities of reports that are at the physical limit of 240 characters of report passing data.
For certain screen programs implemented with this feature,  the application will start by asking for a Parameter Settings ID. See sample screen below:


Use This Parameters Setting ID - This is a required field. F7/F8 search support is available with the ability to add a parameter setting ID. The user is required to add an ID the first time the report is run. Pressing the F7 or F8 key will launch the parameter setting ID search. 


The search screen supports an F1=Add option to add a new parameter setting ID.


Once the F1 key is pressed, the user can add a Parameter ID and a Description. Once entered, the user is returned to the report parameter screen to choose the report parameters for the chosen parameter setting ID.  Running the report will save the selected options to be used again in the future. 

When a user picks a set of existing parameters when printing a report:

  1. If no parameters are changed, the report will run with the selected parameters.
  2. If the parameters are changed and the user did not create the report specification, the report will run with the changed parameters as a temporary report definition and the changes to the parameters will not be saved.
  3. If the parameters are changed and the user did create the report or it is the SUPERVISOR user, the user will be prompted if they would like to save the changes for future use.

If they answer Y, the changed parameters are saved and the report will run with the selected parameters.
If they answer N, the report will run with the changed parameters as a temporary report definition and the changes to the parameters will not be saved. 

The parameter setting ID search also supports Change and Delete options when the list of IDs is shown in the search window.



F3=Change will allow the user to change the description of the parameter setting ID.
F2=Delete will allow the user to delete a parameter setting ID from the list. However, the chosen parameter setting ID cannot be deleted if it is used for a report that is currently set up to run in Deferred Processing.

Security Settings

New Global Setup options are available to determine if all users are allowed to add or delete a parameter setting ID. The new options are available in System Utilities-> Global Setup-> System-> Print Opt/Report/Powersrch -> Fields 7 and 8. 


7. Can All Users Add Report Parameters Settings? - Default is Y. If set to N, the user can enter a list of up to 20 users who are allowed to add Report Parameter Setting IDs.
8. Can All Users Del Report Parameters Settings? - Default is Y. If Set to N, the user can enter a list of up to 20 users who are allowed to  delete Report Parameter Setting IDs. This list of users is shared with the add option in field 7.

When the user is in the Parameter ID search:

  1. If all users can delete Parameter IDs:
    1. Anyone can delete a Parameter ID as long as the report is not deferred.
  2. If only certain users can delete Parameter IDs:
    1. Any user from the user list or SUPERVISOR can delete a Parameter ID as long as the report is not deferred.
    2. The user who created the ID can also delete a Parameter ID as long as it is not deferred.
  3. Changing the description is limited to the user who created the parameter, the user list established for DELETE (if applicable), or the user “SUPERVISOR”.
  4. If all users can add Parameter IDs:
    1. Anyone can add a Parameter ID.
  5. If only certain users can add Parameter IDs:
    1. Any user from the user list or SUPERVISOR can add a Parameter ID.


Persistence of Report Parameter Settings During Printing

When the Print Options screen is presented, the user has already decided whether or not to save the requested report parameters for future use. 

If the report parameters are changed for future use, they do not get deleted.

If the report parameters are temporary, they will be deleted under three scenarios:
  1. When the user presses Cancel to not continue with printing
  2. When the user does not choose to defer printing and presses Go and the report completes
  3. When the user chooses to Defer printing:
    1. If the deferred report is a one-time report, the parameters are deleted after printing.
    2. If the deferred report recurs, the parameters are save for future deferred printing, until the deferred report is deleted.

Programs Added: REPTPARM.SL, REPTPARM.FD, REPTPARM.WS, REPTPARM.DS, REPTPARM.IO, RPARMGEN.WS, RPARMGEN.PL, RPARMGEN.CBL
Programs Modified: REPTPASS.WS, GETVAL.PL, GETVAL1.PL, GETVAL2.PL, NSCTLFIL.FD, NSCTLFIL.W2, REPTPASS.FD, DEFERWIN.FD, BIDRPTM.CBL, NWSMDFRP.CBL, NWSMRPTP.CBL, SYRPTPRM.CBL

CLS/JEG