Parameters can be passed to a Query/400 query (object type *QRYDFN). Figure 2 shows you an example of the Select Records panel in which variables are used to receive parameters. (The colon is very important. It indicates a dependent value. The variable name following the colon can be any name you want.)

Figure 2: The Select Records Panel

                            Select Records                                      

        Type comparisons, press Enter.  Specify OR to start each new group.     

          Tests: EQ, NE, LE, GE, LT, GT, RANGE, LIST, LIKE, IS, ISNOT...        

                                                                                

        AND/OR  Field      Test    Value (Field, Number, 'Characters', or ...)  

               GLCOMP     EQ      :COMPANY                                      

        AND    GLBRAN     EQ      :BRANCH                                       

        AND    GLACC      EQ      :ACCOUNT                                      

       -----------------------------------------------------------------------  

                                                                               
After setting up the parameters, press the Enter key to obtain a screen similar to Figure 3. Simply enter the qualifier type as 1 and any name for the query name. In our example, we chose DUMMY. The name supplied is irrelevant, as it is not used in the execution of the query.

Figure 3: Specifying a Dummy Dependent Value Qualifier

       -----------------------------------------------------------------------  

                    Specify Dependent Value Qualifiers                          

                                                                                

        Type choices, press Enter.                                              

                                                                                

          Qualifier type .......  1          1=Query  2=File                    

                                                                                

          Query or File  .......  DUMMY      Name, F4 for list of files         

            Library   ..........   *libl     Name, #LIBL, F4 for list           

                                                                                

          For choice 2=File:                                                    

            file member ........             Name, *First, F4 for list          

       -----------------------------------------------------------------------  

                                                                               
Note: The host variable name(s) are case sensitive. The host variable defined in the query selection must match the host variable defined in the STRQMQRY command.

Host variables should be defined before any other record selection criteria in your query. For example, if you are performing tests of GLCOMP equal to 100 and GLBRAN equal to a host variable, the record selection test should be defined as:
 

               GLBRAN     EQ      :BRANCH                                       

        AND    GLCOMP     EQ      100                                           

                                                                                

       -----------------------------------------------------------------------  

                                                                               
To run the query, you cannot use the Run Query (RUNQRY) command. You must use the Start Query Management Query
(STRQMQRY) command, as in the following example:

STRQMQRY QMQRY(library/qry-name) ALWQRYDFN(*YES) +
QMFORM(*QMQRY) SETVAR((COMPANY 1) (BRANCH 1) (ACCOUNT 12000))

The parameter that makes this work is the value of *YES for the ALWQRYDFN parameter. A value of *YES allows Query Management to run a query definition (*QRYDFN) object rather than a query management (*QMQRY) object type. You can specify values for the parameters on the STRQMQRY command or let Query Management prompt you for them.

Character fields require some additional considerations. When specifying the value to be used by a dependent character field, you must enclose the value in single or triple quotes. If you let STRQMQRY prompt you for the value, you must enclose the character value in single quotes. If you specify the value through the SETVAR parameter of the STRQMQRY command, you must enclose the value in triple quotes.

Notes: