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Variables [2017/08/02 02:56] peternlewis [Key Facts about Variables] |
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| ====== Keyboard Maestro Variables ====== | ====== Keyboard Maestro Variables ====== | ||
| - | Keyboard Maestro variables are used much like variables in any scripting or macro language. They provide for the storage of data (only plain text, no styles) as determined by you, the Keyboard Maestro user. | + | Keyboard Maestro [[manual:Variables|variables]] are used much like variables in any scripting or macro language. They provide for the storage of data (only plain text, no styles) as determined by you, the Keyboard Maestro user. |
| + | |||
| + | ===== ❗️ NOTICE ===== | ||
| + | **This page is superseded by this page: [[manual:Variables|Variables (in the Manual Segment).]]** | ||
| + | |||
| + | --- | ||
| ===== Key Facts about Variables ===== | ===== Key Facts about Variables ===== | ||
| - | **Keyboard Maestro Variables have some aspects that are quite different from traditional programming languages:** | + | Keyboard Maestro has four types of variables, distinguished based on their name. |
| + | |||
| + | * [[#Password_Variables|Password Variables]] — names start or end with "Password" or "PW". | ||
| + | * [[#Local_Variables|Local Variables]] — names start or end with "Local " or "𝕃". | ||
| + | * [[#Instance_Variables|Instance Variables]] — names start or end with "Instance " or "𝕀". | ||
| + | * Variables — All other variables. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As described in the [[manual:Variables|user manual]], variables contain text, but may be used as numbers in calculations if they contain a valid expression (eg "10*5"). | ||
| * Each Macro may create Variables and read existing Variables. | * Each Macro may create Variables and read existing Variables. | ||
| - | * **All Variables persist, permanently stored on your Mac (much like a file) until deleted**. | + | * Variables persist, permanently stored on your Mac (much like a file) until deleted. |
| - | * All Variables are global, fully accessible (create, read, write, delete) by: | + | * Variables are global, fully accessible (create, read, write, delete) by: |
| - | * All other Macros | + | * All other Macros. |
| - | * Future executions of the same macro | + | * Future or simultaneous executions of some macro. |
| - | * Scripts | + | * Scripts. |
| - | * //Keyboard Maestro Editor Preferences// panel (Variables tab) | + | * AppleScript. |
| - | * :!: **Note:** When deleted, there is no warning, and there is no _Trash_ to recover deleted Variables from. | + | * //Keyboard Maestro Editor Preferences// panel (Variables tab). :!: **Note:** When deleted, there is no warning, and there is no _Trash_ to recover deleted Variables from. |
| - | * **All Keyboard Maestro variables can contain only plain text**. | + | * **All Keyboard Maestro variables can contain only plain text**. |
| * However, you can use variables that contain numbers in calculations in [[https://wiki.keyboardmaestro.com/Text_Fields|numeric fields]], or by using the [[token:Calculate|Calculate Token]] in [[https://wiki.keyboardmaestro.com/Text_Fields|text fields]]. | * However, you can use variables that contain numbers in calculations in [[https://wiki.keyboardmaestro.com/Text_Fields|numeric fields]], or by using the [[token:Calculate|Calculate Token]] in [[https://wiki.keyboardmaestro.com/Text_Fields|text fields]]. | ||
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| There are a number of other [[:Actions|Actions]] to set variables: | There are a number of other [[:Actions|Actions]] to set variables: | ||
| * [[action:Set_Variable_to_Calculation]] | * [[action:Set_Variable_to_Calculation]] | ||
| - | * [[action:Set_Variable_to_Google_Chrome_Field]] | + | * [[actions:Browser_Form_Actions#Set_Variable_to_Field|Set Variable to Browser Field]] |
| * [[action:Set_Variable_to_Keychain_Password]] | * [[action:Set_Variable_to_Keychain_Password]] | ||
| - | * [[action:Set_Variable_to_Safari_Field]] | ||
| - | In addition to these, there are a number of more complex Actions that can also set a variable. The [[action:For_Each|For Each]] Action is an example. | + | In addition to these, there are a number of more complex Actions that can also set a variable. The [[action:For_Each|For Each]] Action is an example. Variables can also contain the results of many actions, such as the [[action:Execute_a_Shell_Script|Execute a Shell Script]] action. |
| When setting a variable, you will be using a text field in most cases. :!: Be aware that [[:Text_Fields|Text fields]] (that are not regular expression fields), process backslashed characters \a,\b,\e,\f,\t,\r,\n (bell,backspace,escape,form feed,tab,return,line feed). For more information, see the [[:Text_Fields|Text fields]] Wiki article. | When setting a variable, you will be using a text field in most cases. :!: Be aware that [[:Text_Fields|Text fields]] (that are not regular expression fields), process backslashed characters \a,\b,\e,\f,\t,\r,\n (bell,backspace,escape,form feed,tab,return,line feed). For more information, see the [[:Text_Fields|Text fields]] Wiki article. | ||
| - | |||
| ===== Using Variables ===== | ===== Using Variables ===== | ||
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| You can also use a short form of just //%Variable Name%// to include variables as long as the variable exists and has a value and there is no corresponding text token, although generally it is better and clearer to use the longer form //%Variable%Variable Name%//. | You can also use a short form of just //%Variable Name%// to include variables as long as the variable exists and has a value and there is no corresponding text token, although generally it is better and clearer to use the longer form //%Variable%Variable Name%//. | ||
| + | You can also access variables in a token field numerically using the [[token:Calculate|%Calculate%]] token. **It is important to note that calculations can contain only numeric values**. When you use the [[token:Calculate|%Calculate%]] token to reference a variable or variable array element, it will convert the element to a number. | ||
| - | ==== Variable Arrays ==== | + | ==== Variables in Calculations ==== |
| - | Variables can contain an array of comma separated **numbers**, like the image size (123,456) or window frame (100,120,600,550). In a calculation field, you can refer to these using a normal (1-based) index notation, like Variable[2]. So you can use ClipboardImageSize[1] and ClipboardImageSize[2]. | + | Variables can be used in calculations if their value holds a number or a numeric expression that can be evaluated. Variables are used *unadorned* in calculations, for example `My Variable * 7`. If a variable contains a sequence of comma-separated numbers, it can be accessed as an array, for example `My Variable[7]`, or using dot notation, for example `My Variable.x`. See the [[manual:Calculations#Variable_Array_Access|Calculations]] user manual section for more information on calculations and using variables in numeric fields. |
| - | + | ||
| - | **It is important to note that variable arrays can contain only numeric values**. When you use the [[token:Calculate|%Calculate%]] function to reference a variable array element, it will convert the element to a number. So, in effect, you can only use variable arrays to store/reference numbers. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | For example, suppose the variable `MyArray` has this value: `10,05,00,12`. In any Keyboard Maestro Action where you would like to use the array element `%Calculate%MyArray[2]%`, it will return "5" because it has evaluated it as number, not the actual string of the element "05". | + | |
| ===== Using Variables in Scripts ===== | ===== Using Variables in Scripts ===== | ||
| Line 78: | Line 85: | ||
| Click on the above links for example scripts. | Click on the above links for example scripts. | ||
| - | ===== See Also ===== | ||
| - | ---- | + | ===== Password Variables ===== |
| + | |||
| + | Variables with names that start or end with “Password” or “PW” are considered passwords – their values will not be stored (except in memory) and they cannot be read directly by shell scripts or AppleScripts, though their consequences can easily be extracted, eg with the Set Clipboard to Text action. The Prompt For User Input dialog will display such variables in a password field. | ||
| + | |||
| + | You should set their values immediately after you are done with the password to reduce any change of erroneous access. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== Local Variables ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Variables with names that start with “Local ” (“Local ” with a space, then the rest of the variable name, eg “Local Count”) are considered local (v8+) to a specific instance of a specific macro. Each time the macro is run, they will start empty and no other macro will see or be able to change values. | ||
| + | ===== Instance Variables ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Variables with names that start with “Instance ” (“Instance ” with a space, then the rest of the variable name, eg “Instance Count”) are considered local (v8+) to a specific execution sequence. Each time the macro is run, they will start empty but their value can be seen and changed by other macros within the same execution sequence (for example, if you execute a macro using the Execute Macro action, that macro can see and change the instance variable). Since two instances of a macro can be running at the same time, this is useful to ensure they each have their own version of the variable. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===== See Also ===== | ||
| === Actions === | === Actions === | ||
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| * [[action:Set Variable to Text|Set Variable to Text]] | * [[action:Set Variable to Text|Set Variable to Text]] | ||
| * [[:Actions|See all Actions]] | * [[:Actions|See all Actions]] | ||
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| - | ---- | ||
| ==== Forum ==== | ==== Forum ==== | ||
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