You are here: Reference > Rule types > Activities > Activity form - Completing the Steps tab - Entering Method parameters

Activity form
Completing the Steps tab — Entering method parameters
 

 

The Method Parameters section allows you to pass information from an activity to a method or instruction specified in the Method field of a step.

To complete the Method Parameters section in a step:

  1. Enter a method name or instruction in the Method field.
  2. Click the Expand icon to expand the step.
  3. Review the fields in the Method Parameters section. These fields dynamically update based on the value you specified in the Method field:
  4. Enter values in each field, using the SmartPrompt to help you select an option from a list where available. Icons appear next to a field when appropriate:

At run time, the system passes the values specified in the Method Parameters section to the method or instruction. If applicable, a parameter page is created for the step that is separate from the parameter page of the activity. This separate parameter page is destroyed when the step completes.

In some cases, you can use the parameter page of the activity to pass information instead of explicitly setting values in the Method Parameters section. This technique is referred to as passing parameters by reference.

To pass parameters by reference:

  1. Ensure that the parameter values required by the method or instruction are present on the parameter page of the activity before the step executes.

    This is typically done by a previous Property-Set step in the activity or a rule higher up in the call stack.

  2. Enter a method name or instruction in the Method field.
  3. Click the Expand icon to expand the step.
  4. Select the Pass current parameter page check box.

At run time, the parameter page of the current activity is passed to the method or instruction. This page returns to the activity when the step completes.

Note: Passing parameters by reference allows the called method or instruction to modify the parameter page.