Overview of Parameters

A parameter is a variable whose value can be changed and that can be referenced by other report objects. The SAS Visual Analytics Designer (the designer) supports parameters for control report objects. If a control has an associated parameter, then when the value of the control changes, the parameter is assigned that changed value. When the value of the parameter changes, any report objects that reference the parameter detect the change accordingly.

Whenever a parameter value is updated, then all display rules, ranks, calculations, and filters that use that parameter are updated. Any report object in the report that uses the display rule, rank, calculation, or filter is updated accordingly.

You can use parameters to design complex reports. For example, you might have a report with two sliders, a list table, and a bar chart. One slider lets you adjust the number of miles that you drive each day. The other slider lets you adjust the price per gallon of gasoline. The results of the selections in the sliders are calculated, and the parameters are used in a calculated data item that is displayed in the list table. The bar chart has a display rule, (MPG (City) > Miles per day), so that vehicles that have a fuel economy value that is better than the number of miles that you drive per day are highlighted.