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Optional. Identify parameters for this section.
Parameterized sections provide flexibility and promote reuse. For example, a single section may include a button which has one of three labels — Increase, Decrease, and Clear — depending on the value of a section parameter. (Because that button always calls a single activity, some mechanism within that activity must operate at runtime to determine the context and desired result.)
Using parameterized sections can promote reuse and reduce the number of distinct sections you need in your application. Be careful to ensure that each parameter has a value in each enclosing rule (section, harness, or flow action) that includes the section.
Parameters are allowed only for JSP-based sections.
Which controls accept parameter values
You can use parameter values in these three situations:
Standard and Advanced parameters
Select from the Parameters Type drop-down to determine the structure of parameters for this section:
None — This section does not use parameters.Standard — Parameter values are supplied at runtime by a parameter clipboard page.Advanced — Parameter values are based on specialized gadgets to support landing page operations.
Caution: After you save the Section form, the setting cannot be changed.
Note: This tab is wide. To display more of the content,use the scroll bar at the bottom of the work area.
Standard parameters — Setting parameter values
You can use any of these ways to supply parameter values for a section that accepts standard parameters.
- On the Section Include tab of the Section Include panel (of the rule form that includes the section), click the magnifying glass to access a parameters form. Enter a value for each parameter.
- At runtime before the form is presented, execute an activity that computes values for the section parameters. (For example, the activity can set an Out parameter with the Property-Set method, or call the PublicAPI function putParamValue( paramname, paramvalue). Then, on the Section Include tab of the Section Include panel (of the rule form that includes the section), click the magnifying glass to access a parameters form. Select the
Pass current parameter page? check box. - Note: When this section is referenced in hand-crafted HTML code that uses JSP tags, use the <pega:include> JSP tag to supply values for the parameters. For examples, see JavaServer Pages tags — Include.
Completing the tab — Standard parameters
Field | Description |
| Name |  Choose a name for this parameter, starting with a letter and using only letters and digits. Do not choose a parameter name that starts with the reserved word pega. Note: Use the following syntax to identify complex parameters: - .MyValueList() — for a
Value List or Value Group structure - .MyPageList().Prop1, MyPageList().Prop2 — for parameters Prop1 and Prop2 on the embedded pages of the
Page List structure MyPageList()
As with scalar parameters, these complex parameters are not true properties — no Rule-Obj-Property rule exists for them — but they mimic the structure of the property types. Complex parameter definitions are accepted on this Parameters tab, on the Parameters tab of the Control form. Use the <pega:param > JSP tag, within the <pega:reference ..> JSP tag, to set values for complex and scalar parameters. Typically, complex parameter values are used within the scope of a <pega:forEach ..> JSP tag. |
| Description | Optional. Enter descriptive text to document the purpose of each parameter. This description appears when a developer completes parameter values. |
| Data Type | Select String, Boolean, or Integer as the data type of the parameter. |
| Required | Select to indicate that the parameter (of data type String or Integer) must not be blank when this control is referenced in another rule. This restriction is enforced when rules are saved, not at runtime. Leave cleared for Boolean parameters. |
| SmartPrompt Type | Optional. To aid application developers in selecting a value for this parameter, identify a concrete class that has a single key part, such as Data-Admin-Operator-ID. This instructs the system to let developers complete this parameter value through a SmartPrompt selection rather than by typing; it has no runtime effect. |
Validate As | Optional. Identify a property for SmartPrompt operation. If you selected Data-Admin-Operator-ID in the SmartPrompt Rule field, enter here the second key part of the field value rules to appear at runtime in SmartPrompt lists. If you selected another class in the SmartPrompt Rule field, identify a property that is a key part of the indicated class, if the class key contains more than one key part. |
Completing the tab — Advanced Parameters
Note: Complete this array to use gadgets for parameters. Such sections support the operations of landing pages and other parts of the Designer Studio.
Field | Description |
| Parameters Type | Select a class value for this parameter, identify a concrete class that begins with PegaGadget-. Classes must inherit from PegaGadget in Adv Parameters. This instructs the system to let developers complete this parameter value through a SmartPrompt selection rather than by typing; it has no runtime effect. Or, Click  to create a new class. |
| Parameters Display | Select the flow action applied to the class referenced above. This flow action needs to contain a section applied to your class, where you define how to enter data for your parameters. The flow action can also reference a Validate rule to run validation on the entered data. Or, Click to create a new flow action. |
| Set Default Values | Click to enter default values for your parameters. |
Completing the tab — 3rd party specialty component
Note: When you select Specialty Component on the HTML tab (after unchecking Auto-Generated HTML), an array for specifying parameters appears in the Parameters tab. The Parameters Type drop-down does not appear.
Field | Description |
| Mode | Select either Add Single Value for a scalar parameter or Add page list/group for a collection-based parameter. |
| Name |  For Single Value, enter a name starting with a letter and using only letters and digits. Do not choose a parameter name that starts with the reserved word pega.
For Page List or Page Group, enter a name that identifies the collection. Add rows () beneath the parameter name and enter names for the parameters/attributes belonging to it. This name is also the key for the scalar value or collection in the JSON returned for the specialty component. |
| Description | Optional. Enter descriptive text to document the purpose of each parameter. The descriptions appear as tool tips on the parameters in the included section's Parameters form. |
The Mode and Name values you enter on the tab appear on the included section's Parameters form.
In the Value column, select properties in the current page context. You can enter literal values in the array and retrieve them as regular parameters using unique specialty component IDs and API functions. See Notes: in the HTML tab's HTML Source area for details.
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