How to set up SOLR parameter substitution in solrconfig.xml -

this first question @ stackoverflow apologies in advance if break rules did study them , made sure isn't duplicate question.

so, according http://yonik.com/solr-query-parameter-substitution/ 1 can set search handler in solrconfig in way

request handler defaults, appends, , invariants configured handler may reference request parameters

i have following query works fine curl

curl http://localhost:7997/solr/vb_popbio/select -d 'q=*:*&fq=bundle:pop_sample_phenotype , phenotype_type_s:"insecticide%20resistance" &rows=0&wt=json&json.nl=map&indent=true &fq=phenotype_value_type_s:${pfield}& &pgap=5&pstart=0&pend=101&pfield="mortality rate"& json.facet = {             pmean: "avg(phenotype_value_f)",             pperc: "percentile(phenotype_value_f,5,25,50,75,95)",             pmin: "min(phenotype_value_f)",             pmax: "max(phenotype_value_f)",             denplot : {                 type : range,                 field : phenotype_value_f,                 gap : ${pgap:0.1},                 start: ${pstart:0},                 end: ${pend:1}             }     }' 

i have translated query search handler configuration in solrconfig.xml user has provide pfield, pgap, pstart , pend parameters. here's how configuration handler looks

     <!--a request handler serve data violin plots (limited ir assays)--> <requesthandler name="/irviolin" class="solr.searchhandler">     <!-- default values query parameters can specified, these          overridden parameters in request       -->     <lst name="defaults">         <str name="echoparams">explicit</str>         <int name="rows">0</int>         <str name="df">text</str>         <str name="wt">json</str>         <str name="json.nl">map</str>         <str name="json.facet">{             pmean: "avg(phenotype_value_f)",             pperc: "percentile(phenotype_value_f,5,25,50,75,95)",             pmin: "min(phenotype_value_f)",             pmax: "max(phenotype_value_f)",             denplot : {             type : range,             field : phenotype_value_f,             gap: ${pgap:0.1},             start: ${pstart:0},             end: ${pend:1}             }             }         </str>     </lst>     <lst name="appends">         <str name="fq">bundle:pop_sample_phenotype</str>         <str name="fq">phenotype_type_s:"insecticide resistance"</str>         <str name="fq">has_geodata:true</str>         <str name="fq">phenotype_value_type_s:${pfield:"mortality rate"}</str>      </lst>     <lst name="invariants">     </lst>  </requesthandler> 

notice provided default values parameters otherwise solr fail load configuration. problem using query this

curl http://localhost:7997/solr/vb_popbio/irviolin?q=*:*&     &pgap=5&pstart=0&pend=101&pfield="mortality rate" 

is not working. solr read request parameters fine (i can see them on debug output) ignore them , use default values in configuration instead.

solr version 5.2.1.

i tried moving configuration parameters either defaults, appends or invariants nothing working. after researching past 2 days i'm ready give , build whole query on-the-fly instead.

any appreciated.

many thanks