When you use a WHERE clause to enable data sampling for a Data Validation test case, you can parameterize the WHERE clause to provide different values at run time.
You can download a sample parameter file from the test case creation wizard. Then, define the parameter names and values in the file. Prefix the parameter name with the $ character. Save the file in a directory relative to your Secure Agent. Specify the parameter file directory and parameter file name when you create the test case.
The parameter file must be in the UTF-8 format and the file size can't exceed 1 MB.
Parameter files
A parameter file is a list of user-defined parameters and their associated values.
Use a parameter file to define values that you want to update without having to edit the test case. You update the values in the parameter file instead of updating values in a test case. The parameter values are applied when the test case runs.
You enter the parameter file directory and parameter file name when you configure the test case.
Parameter file requirements
You can reuse parameter files across test cases. To reuse a parameter file, define local and global parameters within a parameter file.
You group parameters in different sections of the parameter file. Each section is preceded by a heading that identifies the project, folder, and test case to which you want to apply the parameter values. You define parameters directly below the heading, entering each parameter on a new line.
The following table describes the headings that define each section in the parameter file and the scope of the parameters that you define in each section:
Heading
Description
#USE_SECTIONS
Tells Data Validation that the parameter file contains asset-specific parameters. Use this heading as the first line of a parameter file that contains sections.
[Global]
Defines parameters that can be reused across test cases.
[Default].[test case name]
Defines parameters for the named test case only.
If a parameter is defined in a default section and in a global section, the value in the default section overrides the global value.
If the parameter file does not contain sections, Data Validation reads all parameters as global.
Precede the parameter name with a dollar sign as follows: $<parameter>. Define parameter values as follows:
$<parameter1>=value1 $<parameter2>=value2
For example, you have the parameters SalesQuota and Region. In the parameter file, you define each parameter in the following format:
$SalesQuota=1000 $Region=NW
The parameter value includes all characters after the equals sign (=), including leading or trailing spaces. Parameter values are treated as String values.
Parameter scope
When you define values for the same parameter in multiple sections in a parameter file, the parameter with the smallest scope takes precedence over parameters with a larger scope.
In this case, Data Validation gives precedence to parameter values in the following order: