Parameterize an analysis

Parameters are a type of metric card used to pass metrics from one card to the other, or to let a user input values manually to dynamically change the data in the analysis. Parameters can be used in any card that takes the parameter’s output type as input and can also be used in formulas.

Parameters are input cards of a chosen type (for example: numeric, string, date/time, a single object, or a numeric range). The input to a parameter card is usually a user-entered value. In the case of the property value select parameter, the user can pick a value from a dropdown based on values of a chosen object set property.

Parameter cards can be added directly to the analysis from the top menu under each metric section, or by searching for cards with the search bar (via the magnifying glass on the left of the top menu).

All parameter cards existing in the analysis are referenced in the parameters panel on the left. From there, you can identify in how many cards each parameter has been used and change parameter values to see how the visualizations in the analysis look with different values.

Learn more about how to parameterize an analysis on the Palantir Developers YouTube channel. ↗

• The parameters panel
• Parameter types
  • Numeric parameter
  • String parameter
  • Boolean parameter
  • Date/time parameter
  • Duration unit parameter
  • Time range parameter
  • Numeric range parameter
  • Object selector
  • Property value select parameter
• Add a parameter
  • Add a parameter using card search
  • Add a parameter from the parameters panel
  • Add a parameter when configuring another card
• Example: Use parameters to dynamically filter object sets

The parameters panel

The parameters panel can be found in the left sidebar, under the variable icon (), and is a unified location for managing parameters in your analysis.

The panel allows you to:

• See all parameters from your analysis in a single place.
• Change parameter values and observe changes in your analysis.
• Configure parameters (such as changing the label, placeholder value, and so on).
• See in which cards a given parameter is used. Some parameter types have additional details and controls relating to their use with time series. This is indicated by an extra section next to the number of cards that use the parameter. The number in the additional section represents how many plots are contained in the time series charts where the parameter is used. Learn more about additional controls on date/time range parameters.

Parameter types

The full list of Quiver supported parameter types is provided below.

Numeric parameter

Numeric parameters can be used as:

• Controls for numeric properties in the filter object set card.
• Inputs in formula cards, which can be useful as a way to quickly test different formula coefficients.
• Metrics for the Waterfall chart, by selecting Numeric Values.

String parameter

String parameters can be in cards that require String inputs, or used to control properties that have been configured as long text properties in your Ontology.

Boolean parameter

Boolean parameters can be used in transforms that take Booleans as inputs such as filters and to toggle global settings on and off from the dashboard/analysis (see: 'Allow settings to be controlled' feature in Global Settings).

Date/time parameter

Date/time parameters can be used as:

• Controls for Date and Timestamp properties in the filter object set card.
• Inputs to the object set filter status card.
• Input to date markers on a time series chart.

Duration unit parameter

Duration unit parameters can be used to parameterize the unit value of transformation that perform duration operations such as a time shift transform or to control the window size in a period aggregate transform.

Time range parameter

Time range parameters can be used as an input to the time range time series transform.

Numeric range parameter

Numeric range parameters can be used as an input to array range operators.

Object selector

The object selector card provides a dropdown widget for selecting a single object from an input object set or object type. When popping out a single object row from an object set card, an object selector is automatically added to the analysis.

Property value select parameter

Property value select parameters can be used to control low cardinality string properties, such as categories.

Add a parameter

You can add a parameter card by one of several ways:

• Add a parameter by searching for cards.
• Add a parameter from the dedicated parameters panel.
• Add a parameter when configuring the card that takes the parameter as input.

See below for step-by-step instructions for each of the ways listed above.

Add a parameter using card search

To add a parameter card by searching for it:

1. Open the search bar by selecting Search cards in the top menu bar.
2. Search for “parameter” to see all the parameter cards.
3. Select the desired parameter type.

Add a parameter from the parameters panel

To add a parameter from the dedicated parameters panel:

1. Open the parameters panel by selecting the variable icon () in the left sidebar.
2. Select Add parameter in the bottom of the parameters panel.
3. Select the desired parameter type.

Add a parameter when configuring another card

When configuring a card input that we wish to parameterize, we can add a parameter directly from the card editor. For example, when configuring an object set filter card to filter on an object property, we can add a property value select parameter to filter the property to property values that exist in the object set.

To add a parameter from a card configuration editor:

1. Open the card configuration editor of the target card by selecting the configure icon () in the card header.
2. Open the input dropdown by selecting the down triangle icon next to the input type.
3. Select Create new parameter from the input dropdown.

Example: Use parameters to dynamically filter object sets

In the analysis below, we have created a bar plot and two numerical aggregations that both read from the Filter Transactions object set. Let’s run through how to control the filtering of objects in the object set using parameters and watch the bar plot and numeric aggregations update accordingly.

To begin, we can add a property filter for Retailer Name. Next, create a new property value select parameter to control this value. You can create the parameter by selecting the String dropdown next to the filter input box and then Create new parameter. This will both add the new parameter card to your analysis and set it to control the filter.

Only parameters that are the same type as the property being configured can be selected from the parameter dropdown. For example, the parameter added above of type string does not show up when trying to filter a property of type number.

You can see what type a property is in the Add filter menu on the right side, as well as after selecting a property when configuring its input.