Using variables

Variables provide a temporary location for storing data, which can then be accessed from any context in the file. You can define variables in:

Variables are not available outside the file in which they are defined, and one user's variables are not available to other users. If you need data to be available to other files or to multiple users, use a field (without global storage) instead of a variable.

When you define a variable, you can specify its scope by adding a prefix before the variable name.

Scope

Prefix

Example

Availability

function

None

variableName

Only within the function where it is defined

local

$

$variableName

Only within the script where it is defined (not available to sub-scripts); cleared when the script ends

global

$$

$$variableName

Anywhere within the file where it is defined; cleared when the file is closed

Local and global variables (or even two local variables in different scripts) can have the same name but they are treated as different variables and can store different values.

You can use variables in:

Repetitions in variables

Local and global variables can include an optional repetition number that appears in brackets [ ] immediately after the variable name. For example, the following returns 111:

Copy
Let ( [
    $var[1] = 1;
    $var[2] = 10;
    $var[3] = 100
];
$var[1] + $var[2] + $var[3] )

Repetitions in variables are not supported in:

  • function variables
  • merge variables
  • file paths
  • find requests

Notes 

  • Variable names must follow the same naming restrictions as field names. See About naming fields.
  • Variables are not supported in file paths that are stored in container fields.
  • The data type of a variable is determined dynamically based on the assigned data. Variables have the same data types as fields, except for calculation and summary fields. See About choosing a field type.
  • For more information on working with variables, see the Knowledge Base.