LookML Parameter

[kuopaz]

This example is provided:

parameter: number_of_results {
  type: string
  allowed_value: {
    label: "Less than 500"
    value: "< 500"
  }
  allowed_value: {
    label: "Less than 10,000"
    value: "< 10000"
  }
  allowed_value: {
    label: "All Results"
    value: "> 0"
  }
}

Unfortunately it is not developed further, but does it mean you could do:

sql: ThisColumn {% parameter number_of_results %}  # note, only a space and no arithmetic operator

that becomes:

ThisColumn < 500

In other words, is it pure injection of text that can be used in dimensions, derived tables, etc.?

[Dawid]

If you want to use it directly in SQL in its literal way then you’d have to change the parameter type to “unquoted”. Otherwise your SQL would look like: column “> 500”

[kuopaz]

“Inserting unquoted values directly into SQL could create the possibility of unwanted SQL actions. To address this, parameter values of type: unquoted are restricted to the characters A through Z and 0 through 9 (no spaces or other special characters).”

Would this cause a problem with the above example?

[Dawid]

Ahh I forgot about this gem.. What a waste of feature. It’s not like everybody has access to LookML to change the values of those parameters 😕 Totally not needed restriction..

In this case, you would have to use one of the hacks:

• create columns related to your business logic and use unqouted parameter to select a boolean field
• wrap parameter around sql CASE statement that would perform the logic, then parameter can have any  values