Use Script Variables

As an application designer you use script variables, which are useful for storing intermediate results repeatedly used in a script, for example.

About Script Variables

In addition to the primitive types described above, you can select a wider variety of non-primitive types for the script variable, such as button, category, chart, clock, data source and table.

For each script variable, you can define name, optional description, type and a default value, which is optional and depends on the variable type. A script variable can be defined as an array, which represents a set of values of the specified type. You can use the following primitive types:

  • string

    Represents text as a sequence of characters.

  • boolean

    Represents a logical value, either true or false.

  • number

    Represents a floating-point numerical value.

    Can be entered in ordinary format or scientific notation format such as 1e+20 or 1e20. If the number is longer than 21 digits, it will be automatically displayed in scientific notation format.

  • integer

    Represents a non-fractional numerical value.

    Scientific notation format isn't supported for entering values. However, at runrime if the number is longer than 21 digits, it'll be displayed in scientific notation.

Script variables are reusable elements that store a value of a certain type, which exist throughout the execution time. The script variables you create in an application are only available for that specific application. You can define their values not only in the application, but also in the application URL by adding a specific URL parameter.

Create a Script Variable

Procedure

  1. In the Scripting area of the Outline panel, select right next to Script Variables to add a new script variable.

    You can see the variable beneath Script Variables, and a new panel, Script Variable, is opened.

  2. In the panel, change the name of the script variable.
  3. (optional) Enter the description for the script variable.
  4. Choose the type of the script variable and whether to set it as an array.
  5. Specify the default value depending on the type.
  6. Choose Done to close the panel.

    You can now use the variable in scripting within this application.

Define a Script Variable's Value via URL Parameter

You can initialize the application based on your needs by simply making some changes to the application URL. The value defined in the URL parameter can be passed to the corresponding script variable.

Procedure

  1. Choose the script variable you want to define, and go to the Scipt Variable panel.
  2. Select Expose variable via URL parameter.
    Note

    This option isn't available for array type variables and non-primitive type variables (types other than string, boolean, integer and number).

  3. Save the application with the changes and choose Run Analytic Application.
  4. In the URL of the analytic application, enter a new parameter that starts with ;p_ and is followed by the script variable's name and value.

    For example, if you want to set the value of ScriptVariable_1 to 3.14, add the following parameter to the original URL:

    ;p_ScriptVariable_1=3.14

  5. Reopen your application URL.

Use a Script Variable

You can use a script variable in your script as a local variable. For example, you change the value by assigning a new one and use this value by passing it as argument when calling a function.

If you write scripts in the application, you can insert the script variable you've created by selecting it from the value help in the script editor. You can activate the value help at any place in the script by pressing CTRL + Space .

If you need to use the script variable in calculation, you can type @ in the formula in Calculation Editor to insert it. All the available script variables will be automatically displayed in the dropdown list. Note that only global variables of string, integer and number types can be referenced in the calculation editor, while the array type isn't supported.

Note
When you use the script variable as the judging expression in an If statement and the expression returns a null value, the If statement will also return a null result. For example, if you write a script like this and set the script variable to undefined in runtime, the data returned and displayed in the chart isn't -100, but null.

if (ScriptVariable_1 = "xxx"; 100 ; -100)

You can also define script variables as the source of dynamic text in a text widget. For detailed information, refer to Use Text Widgets in Analytic Applications.

Change or Delete a Script Variable

To change an existing scripting variable, select it in the Outline panel. You can see the Scipt Variable panel open again where you can also make the changes there.

To delete an existing scripting variable, choose beside the script variable in the Outline panel, and select Delete.

Note

If the variable’s been used in a calculated measure, you need to modify the calculation first before deleting the variable.