Variables allow you to use “Control Objects” to update other objects in your RTView display. To setup a control object to update the value of a variable, attach its varToSet property to a variable using the “Attach to Variable Data” dialog. To display the results, attach another object to the variable.
Note: Variables are only available for use within the display where they are created.
Select Tools>Variables to open the Variables dialog. To create a variable, enter the Variable Name and Initial Value and click on the Add button. If the variable ends in Color (i.e.: bgColor), click anywhere in the Initial Value field and choose a color from the color chooser palette to set the Initial Value. To delete, select a variable from the list and click Remove.
Linking Substitutions with Variables
To link a variable with a substitution by the same name, select Use As Substitution when creating a variable. If no substitution by that name exists, one will be created and given the value entered in Initial Value. If a substitution by that name already exists, the variable will assume the value of the substitution instead of the value entered in the Initial Value field. Whenever the value of the variable is updated, the associated substitution will also be updated and when the substitution is updated the associated variable will update. The Use As Substitution feature is not available for variables that use tabular input data or when editing existing variables.
Note: If the Variable Name begins with a $, the Use As Substitution check box will automatically be selected.
If the variable specified will be defined as a global variable or in an included display file, then selecting the Public check box will make this variable available in all displays. When the Public check box is deselected, this variable will only be available for data attachments in the display (.rtv) file where it was defined. See “Global Functions and Variables” and “Include Display Files” for more information.
Variables associated with global or included display files can only be modified from the display in which they were originally defined.
Note: If a global variable shares the same name as a local variable, only the local variable will be displayed and the global variable will be ignored.
Name |
Name of the variable |
Scope |
Scope of the variable: Local - Variable is defined in the current display. Included - Variable is defined in an included display file. See “Include Display Files” for more information. Global - Variable is defined in a Global Definition file. See “Global Functions and Variables” for more information. |
Data Type |
Data type of the variable: Scalar - Variable uses scalar input data. This is the default data type. Tabular - Variable uses table input data. Note: The Use As Substitution feature is not available when this data type is selected. |
Source |
Name of the file in which a global variable or included display file is defined. |