Automic Scripting: Create Variables with Dynamic Names and Dynamic Values (via Indirect references)

[Legacy User]

It is now possible in v12.1 to dynamically create Automic Variables (ex:&MYVAR#) in a script (Pre or PostProcess included) without knowing the names of the variables prior (to my knowledge this was not possible before).

Here is an example:

a JOBS object returns an arbitrary output in the following format: 

    MATCHWASFOUND|VAR1#|U02001096
    MATCHWASFOUND|VAR2#|100:STORE.CONN.UPDATE/CONN_UPDATE
    MATCHWASFOUND|MYOTHERVAR#|Some Value here

• the number of lines varies and isunpredictable
• the second column (which eventually we want to use as the name of an automic variable) is alwaysunpredictable

Our goal:

  After we are done with the postprocessing, we want: 

• set as many Automic Variables as I have lines that start with "MATCHWASFOUND"
• Use the second column as the Automic Variable name
• Use the third column as the automic Variable value

So, in this case, once done with postprocessing, I want the following automic variables to exist:

• &VAR1# = “U02001096”
• &VAR2# = “100:STORE.CONN.UPDATE/CONN_UPDATE”
• &MYOTHERVAR# = “Some Value here”

 In order do so, we will use a combo of the :CREATE_PROCESS (and related commands) and :GENERATE_SCRIPT_VARS commands

Important Note: to leverage GENERATE_SCRIPT_VARS you need to set GENERATE_UNDEFINED_SCRIPT_VARS to Y in UC_SYSTEM_SETTINGS

Here is the content of the PostProcess Tab:

 

! Create a new Data Sequence that will contain the new Variables' Names and Values ! Conceptually it is similar to a "virtual" VARA object with one Key and one Column :SET &VarHND# = CREATE_PROCESS(NEW) ! normal processing of the REP :SET &HND# = PREP_PROCESS_REPORT("JOBS",, "REP",,"COL=DELIMITER", "DELIMITER=*|*") :PROCESS &HND# :  SET &MatchFound# = GET_PROCESS_LINE(&HND#,1) :  IF STR_STARTS_WITH(&MatchFound#, "MATCHWASFOUND") = "Y" :    SET &VarName# = GET_PROCESS_LINE(&HND#,2) :    SET &Value# = GET_PROCESS_LINE(&HND#,3) :    PRINT  "&Varname# !! &VALUE# !! &MatchFound#" ! Add data to the new Data Sequence (delimiter is |) :    SET &CHECK# = PUT_PROCESS_LINE(&VarHND#, "&VarName#|&Value#", "|") :  ENDIF :ENDPROCESS :SET &RET# = SAVE_PROCESS(&VarHND#) ! Generate all Variables stored in the data sequence :SET &ret# = generate_script_vars(&VarHND#, , UPDATE) :P &ret# :P &&VAR2#:&VAR2# :P &&VAR1#:&VAR1#

and here is the corresponding output generated: &VAR1# and &VAR2# now exist and their respective values correspond the column 3 of the original output:

An export of the corresponding JOBS Object is attached.

 

Attachment(s)

export_var_with_indirect_ref.xml   4 KB 1 version

[Legacy User]

Michael_Lowry i believe you had a thread open around this topic, maybe this will help?

[Michael A. Lowry]

Brendan Sapience said:

Michael_Lowry i believe you had a thread open around this topic, maybe this will help?

brendan_sapience_automic: Your approach obviates the need to create a temporary static VARA. Good idea.

The documentation does not provide a complete example of how to use GENERATE_SCRIPT_VARS with a data sequence, so thanks for providing this.

[Legacy User]

a large part of the credit goes to kay_koll_automic !! he came up with the solution.

[Legacy User]

To go further with this use case, it would be interesting to have a command that can publish those dynamic variables to the parent workflow and top workflow: that would be VERY useful for ARA and ASO as well. I have opened a corresponding "idea" and talked to PM about it already.

I imagine we could simply extend the actual :PUBLISH command to work not just on variables or Arrays, but also on Data Sequences.

[Michael A. Lowry]

Brendan Sapience wrote:

To go further with this use case, it would be interesting to have a command that can publish those dynamic variables to the parent workflow and top workflow: that would be VERY useful for ARA and ASO as well. I have opened a corresponding "idea" and talked to PM about it already.
I imagine we could simply extend the actual :PUBLISH command to work not just on variables or Arrays, but also on Data Sequences.

For those who are interested in voting for this idea, here is the link:

Allow the :PUBLISH command to work on Data Sequences for Automic Scripting