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Query has many purposes. Users may want to write a quick, one-time report, which may be discarded after its initial purpose is served. Other times, the users may wish to create a query which they could use again in the future, or which they may want to share with another user at the institution or a colleague at another institution. If the selection delimiter, created via the ‘Criteria’ tab in Query, is hardcoded (i.e., INSTITUTION = ‘BAR01’, STRM = ‘1156’, etc.), then the Query would have to be modified for the new institution or a new term during a future use. Instead of hardcoding the selection criteria, prompts may be used.
What is a Prompt:
A prompt is a way of entering selection criteria every time the query is run. Prompts allow users to create a report for multiple users or multiple purposes. Often a prompt value is needed in order for another prompt to work properly. So creating a prompt on the INSTITUTION field allows the query to be shared with other CUNY institution; creating a prompt on STRM (term) allows the query to be used over time (semester); creating a prompt on ACAD_PROG (Program) or ACAD_PLAN (plan) allows users to select data for a particular program or plan.
Warning |
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Warning: programs and plans are defined for one particular institution, so an INSTITUTION prompt must be created before creating a prompt for ACAD_PROG or ACAD_PLAN. For Example, if an user wants to find Baruch Collage Plan and Program then it is necessary to enter institution: 'BAR01' then plan and program what Baruch Offers. Plans and programs may vary across the all CUNY collages. |
The following demonstrate the creation of a prompt. A new prompt can be built using thru:
- ‘Criteria’ tab or
- ‘Prompts’ tab
Prompts via ‘Criteria’ tab:
- Select the ‘Criteria’ tab.
- Press the ‘Add Criteria’ button.
- In the ‘Expression 1 Type:’ box, select Field or Expression – the default is Field.
- In the ‘Expression 1:’ box, (if Field is chosen), search for the field that the query should delimit (i.e., INSTITUTION).
- Choose the ‘Condition Type:’. Press the selection dropdown for options.
- In the ‘Expression 2 Type:’ box, select ‘Prompt’, which is not the default.
- In the ‘Expression 2:’ box, select the ‘New Prompt’ link.
- When the ‘Prompt’ definition page opens, select the Field name or use the value which Query populates.
- Change the ‘Heading Type:’, ‘*Type:’ or ‘*Format’ fields, as desired.
- Change the ‘Heading Text:’ to what the prompt should read. This is what the user will see when running the query.
Change the ‘Edit Type:’ to reflect the editing for the query. The other three options require a value in the prompt field for the query to run.
Note NOTE that: No Edit Table allows the query to run if the prompt field is blank (important for optional prompts) - In the ‘Prompt Table:’, select a table which will validate the value in the prompt field. This is available only if the ‘Edit Type:’ is ‘No Edit Table’ or ‘Prompt Table’.
- Select the yellow ‘OK’ button, which returns you to the ‘Criteria’ build page.
- Select the yellow ‘OK’ button, which returns you to all the criteria page
- Run the query to test the prompt.
2.Prompts via ‘Prompts’ tab:
- Select the ‘Prompts’ ‘Prompts’ tab.
- Select the yellow ‘Add Prompt’ button.
- Under ‘Field Name’, click on the search icon.
- Enter the full or partial name of the field and click on the yellow ‘Search’ button.
- One or more options may appear. Select the field that you want.
- Edit the prompt properties.
- Change the ‘*Heading Type:’, ‘*Type:’ or ‘*Format’ fields, as desired.
- Change the ‘*Heading Text:’ to what the prompt should read. This is what the query runner will see.
- Change the ‘*Edit Type:’ to reflect the editing for the query. ‘No Edit Table’ allows the query to run if the prompt field is blank (important for optional prompts). The other three options require a value in the prompt field for the query to run.
- In the ‘*Prompt Table:’, select a table which will validate the value in the prompt field. This is available only if the ‘*Edit Type:’ is ‘No Edit Table’ or ‘Prompt Table’.
- Select the yellow ‘OK’ button, which returns you to the ‘Prompts’ build page.
- Hit the yellow ‘Save’ button.
- Use the new prompt is the Criteria tab.