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Declaring Variables

Download example (upload .json): pdwVariablesDeclared.workflow.json

The JS7 - Workflow Editor allows variables to be declared. Clicking in the workflow editor panel will display the workflow properties where variables can be added:

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• Order variables are declared by specifying a name and data type.
  • If no default value is added then the order variable is mandatory, i.e. all orders have an order has to specify a value for the variable.
  • If a default value is added then
    • the order variable is optional, i.e. orders can specify a value and otherwise the default value will be used.
    • the final data type can be added used that prevents the variable from being modified later on in the workflowafter the point in time of submission of an order.
  • Default values accept constant values and JS7 - Expressions for Variables.
• Any number of order variables can be declared.

For order variables of data type "String" the workflow editor offers the following operations from the Image Modified icons:

• The icon invokes facet entry mode.
• The icon invokes the list entry mode.
• The icon invokes the editor entry mode for values of variables

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Clicking the icon brings up a popup window that offers more space for character input to values of variables:

The window size will adjust automatically if more characters are entered.

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The icon invokes the list editor that is used to offer compile a list of values from which a user can select from when adding an order to the workflow.

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Regular expressions can be complex and lengthy. The facet editor offers the Add from Favorites link to select values from JS7 - Inventory Favorites.

In the Workflows view when an order is added user input is checked like this:

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• to populate environment variables that are used in job scriptsshell jobs,
• to populate node arguments,
• to be evaluated by an expression in a JS7 - If Instruction.

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• The property editor suggests using the names of order variables for environment variables.
  • Environment variable names are automatically converted to uppercase lettersare created with the given spelling. In Unix environment variables are case-sensitive, in Windows they are case-insensitive.
• Similarly the values of order variables are suggested with a $ prefixing the name of the variable.
  • Note that only names of existing order variables can be used as the value for an environment variable.
• In addition, expressions can be used for order variables - for details see:
  • JS7 - Expressions for Variables
  • JS7 - Assignment of Variables

Using Environment Variables

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in Job Scripts

Environment variables can be used with in job scripts according to the syntax of the operating system that the job is executed for:

• for Windows use: %VAR_STRING%
• For Unix use
  • $VAR_STRING
  • ${VAR_STRING}

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Using Node Arguments

Node Arguments are typically used in a situation when the same job occurs more than once in a workflow. The basic assumption is that the job will make use of the same variables that which should carry different values at each node in which the job is used.

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• The job script can append a variable name-key/value pair to a temporary file indicated with the $JS7JS7_RETURN_VALUES environment variable.
• The JS7 Agent will pick up the temporary file after execution of the shell job and will use the file's entries to create new order variables for subsequent instructions and jobs in the workflow.
• This mechanism is used to create new order variables from Shell Jobs. It cannot be used to modify existing order variables . Shell jobs always should create new order variables to pass values to subsequent instructions and declared with a workflow. Order variables that are not declared but created on-the-fly by shell jobs can be updated by subsequent shell jobs.

SOME_VARIABLE="some value"
echo "myVar=$SOME_VARIABLE" >> $JS7_RETURN_VALUES

set SOME_VARIABLE=some value
echo "myVar=%SOME_VARIABLE%" >> %JS7_RETURN_VALUES%

Explanation:

• Both examples assign a value to an environment variable SOME_VARIABLE that is local to the job.
• The namekey/value pair myVar=.... is appended to the temporary file indicated by the JS7_RETURN_VALUES environment variable.
  • This assignment makes use of the value stored with in the SOME_VARIABLE environment variable.
  • This assignment could also use a constant value instead of using SOME_VARIABLE.

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• $js7JobName
  • The name of the current job for which an order is executed.
• $js7JobExecutionCount
  • A counter for the number of times that the same job node is executed within a workflow, e.g. if used with the JS7 - Retry Instruction.
• $js7EpochMilli$epochMilli
  • The number of milliseconds since January 1^st 1970 UTC.
• $returnCode
  • The numeric exit code of the current job for which an order is executed.

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