# User Parameters

> **TL;DR**
> Open settings by pressing `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) and navigate to `Tools | Database | Query Execution | User Parameters`.

For more information about working with user parameters, refer to the [corresponding chapter of Run queries](run-a-query.html#user_parameters) topic.

| Item | Description |
| --- | --- |
|  Enable in query consoles and SQL files |    Apply parameter patterns to SQL in SQL files and query consoles. You can limit the usage scope at the level of [individual patterns](#usage_scope).      If this checkbox is cleared, the patterns are not used in SQL files and query consoles irrespective of the usage scope that is specified for individual patterns.   |
|  Enable in string literals with SQL injection |    Apply parameter patterns to string literals [injected](using-language-injections.html) with SQL. If necessary, you can limit the usage scope at the level of [individual                 patterns](#usage_scope).     If this checkbox is cleared, the patterns are not used in string literals irrespective of the usage scope that is specified for individual patterns.    |
| Substitute inside SQL strings | Apply parameter patterns to string literals in the SQL code.     For example, consider the following code.      ```SQL SELECT ${column_name} FROM actor WHERE actor_id='${actor_id}' ```     If the checkbox is cleared, IntelliJ IDEA will find only the `column_name` parameter in it. The `actor_id` parameter is treated as a string.     But if you select the Substitute inside SQL strings option, the `actor_id` parameter is treated as a user parameter.                       Disabled:    ![The Substitute inside SQL strings setting disabled](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/db_settings_substitute_inside_sql_strings_off.png)   Enabled:    ![The Substitute inside SQL strings setting enabled](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/db_settings_substitute_inside_sql_strings_on.png)                 |
|  Parameter patterns |    List of parameter patterns and their usage scopes.      The patterns are specified using regular expressions. Values that are located in parentheses `()` are treated as parameter names. The patterns available initially have the following meanings:       * `\?(\d+)` - a question mark followed by one or more digits, for example, `?69` in which case `69` would be the parameter name.    * `%\w+` - `%` followed by one or more word characters, for example, `%xyz`.    * `\$\{([^$\{\}]*)\}` - `$`, then `{`, then any character except `$`, `{` or `}` zero or more times, then `}`, for example, `${}`, `${value}`.    * `\$\(([^\)]+)\)` - `$`, then `(`, then any character except `)` one or more times, then `)`, for example, $(x).    * `\$(\w+)\$` - `$`, then one or more word characters, then `$` again, for example, `$x1$`.    * `\#(\w+)\#` - `#`, then one or more word characters, then `#` again, for example, `#field_3#`.       For more information about parameter naming behavior, refer to  [Naming behavior](run-a-query.html#naming_behavior).        Use ![the Add button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.add.svg) `Alt+Insert` (Windows), `⌘ N` (macOS), `⌃ N` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ N` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Insert` (XWin), `Alt+Insert` (GNOME), `Alt+Insert` (KDE), `Alt+Insert` (Emacs), `Ctrl+N` (Sublime Text), `⌘ N` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+N` (Visual Studio), `⌘ N` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (Eclipse), `⌘ N` (Eclipse (macOS)), ![the Remove button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.remove.svg) `Alt+Delete` (Windows), `⌘ ⌦` (macOS), `⌘ ⌦` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⌦` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Delete` (XWin), `Alt+Delete` (GNOME), `Alt+Delete` (KDE), `Alt+Delete` (Emacs), `Alt+Delete` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⌦` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Alt+Delete` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+R, D` (Visual Studio), `⌘ R, D` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Delete` (Eclipse), `Alt+Delete` (Eclipse (macOS)),  ![the Previous Occurrence button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.up.svg) `Alt+Up` (Windows), `⌃ ⇧ ↑` (macOS), `⌃ ↑` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌃ ⌥ ↑` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Up` (XWin), `Alt+Up` (GNOME), `Alt+Up` (KDE), `Alt+Up` (Emacs), `Alt+Up` (Sublime Text), `Alt+Up` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Up` (NetBeans), `Alt+Up` (Visual Studio), `⌃ ⇧ ↑` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+Up` (Eclipse), `⌃ ⌥ ↑` (Eclipse (macOS)) and ![the Next Occurrence button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.down.svg) `Alt+Down` (Windows), `⌃ ⇧ ↓` (macOS), `⌃ ↓` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌃ ⌥ ↓` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Down` (XWin), `Alt+Down` (GNOME), `Alt+Down` (KDE), `Alt+Down` (Emacs), `Alt+Down` (Sublime Text), `Alt+Down` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Down` (NetBeans), `Alt+Down` (Visual Studio), `⌃ ⇧ ↓` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+Down` (Eclipse), `⌃ ⌥ ↓` (Eclipse (macOS)) to add, delete and reorder the patterns.      To edit a pattern or its usage scope, click the pattern and use the following controls:       * In scripts: clear this checkbox if the pattern must not be used in SQL files and query consoles.    * In literals: clear this checkbox if the pattern must not be used in string literals injected with SQL.    * All languages: click the link and clear language checkboxes where you do not want to use the pattern.   |