I have searched the forum for ideas, and I think there might be at least three or four possible solutions out there for my specific challenge. I'm trying to figure out the most efficient method.

Challenge: To sort a dynamic parameter by another field and to create an all levels category for the dynamic parameter

Ordinarily, to create an ALL option, I would use the parameters tab of HTML composer and create the dynamic parameter with an ALL option. When I do that though, the sort option changes from custom to alphabetic.

By way of example, here’s what I’m trying to do using high school grade levels.

Sort Grade
1 Freshmen
2 Sophomores
3 Juniors
4 Seniors
All Students

I want the grade to be the dropdown list, but I want the dropdown list to appear in that exact order using the sort field.

After tinkering around a little bit on my own and researching ideas on the forum, the solutions I've come up with are to:

1) Alter my synonym;
2) Utilize dialog manager to create another section of the procedure for all students; or
3) Drive the sort of the grade level using the sort field by creating two fexes, one for the sort and one for the dropdown list.

We don't really want to alter the synonym unless that's the only option.

Any thoughts?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: JulieA,

I'm using something such as this instead of the dynamic list.
So I create a fex that it's then be called by the dropdown.

SET ASNAMES = ON

DEFINE FILE GRADE
TRI     /I2   = 1;
TRIA    /I2   = 0;
CODE    /A20V = EDIT(SORT);
CODEA   /A20V = '_FOC_NULL';
LST     /A20V = GRADE;
LSTA    /A20V = 'All';
END

TABLE FILE GRADE
SUM LSTA     AS 'LST'
BY TRIA      AS 'TRI'
BY GRADE     
BY CODEA     AS 'CODE'
WHERE READLIMIT   EQ 1;
WHERE RECORDLIMIT EQ 1;
ON TABLE HOLD
END
-RUN

TABLE FILE GRADE
SUM LST           AS 'LST'
BY TRI            NOPRINT
BY CODE           AS 'CODE'
ON TABLE PCHOLD FORMAT XML
MORE
FILE HOLD
END
-RUN

As always, thank you Martin for your suggestion. I actually found a different approach that seems to be working for me.

It took a combination of an ignore value on a static parameter sorted in the order I want for the dropdown list, plus an adjustment in one of my COMPUTE statements and a second adjustment in the -SET commands I use for the headings. I'm going to mark this solved for now, but I might use your suggestion in the future on something else. You never know.