Once you have created internal parameters as a part of a graph, you have them in your graph, but you may want to convert them into external (shared) parameters. Thus, you would be able to use the same parameters for multiple graphs.

You can externalize any internal parameter item into external (shared) file by right-clicking an internal parameter item in the Outline pane and selecting Externalize parameters from the context menu. After doing that, a new wizard will open in which a list of projects of your workspace can be seen and the corresponding project will be offered as the location for this new external (shared) parameter file. If you want (the file with the same name may already exist), you can change the suggested name of the parameter file. Then you click OK.

After that, the internal parameter item disappears from the Outline pane Parameters group, but, at the same location, there appears, already linked, the newly created external (shared) parameter file. The same parameter file appears in the selected project and it can be seen in the Navigator pane.

You can even externalize multiple internal parameter items at once. This way, they will be externalized into one external (shared) parameter file. To do this, select them in the Outline pane and, after right-click, select Externalize parameters from the context menu. After doing that, a new wizard will open in which a list of projects of your workspace can be seen and the corresponding project will be offered as the location for this new external (shared) parameter file. If you want (a file with the same name may already exist), you can change the suggested name of the parameter file. Then you click OK.

After that, the selected internal parameter items disappear from the Outline pane Parameters group, but, at the same location, there appears already linked the newly created external (shared) parameter file. The same parameter file appears in the selected project and it can be seen in the Navigator pane. This file contain the definition of all selected parameters.

You can choose adjacent parameter items when you press Shift and press the Down Cursor or the Up Cursor key. If you want to choose non-adjacent items, use Ctrl+Click at each of the desired parameter items instead.

Figure 37.2. Externalizing Internal Parameters