Introduction

• Order Variables can be used to parameterize workflows and jobs.
• Order Variables are declared with a Workflow.

Feature Video

This video explains how to parameterize workflows and pass variables to jobs in a workflow.

Declaring Variables

The JS7 - Workflow Editor offers the  icon with the property editor to declare order variables:

A popup window opens that offers to declare order variables:

Explanations:

• 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. any orders have 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 is used.
  • Default values accept constant values and to not accept expressions.
• Any number of order variables can be declared.

Using Order Variables

Order variables can be used in a number of places:

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

Using Order Variables in Shell Jobs

Shell jobs can access order variables by use of environment variables.

Mapping Order Variables to Environment Variables

A mapping is performed with the "Environment Variables" sub-tab of the job property editor:

Explanation:

• The property editor suggests to use the names of order variables for environment variables.
  • Environment variable names are automatically converted to uppercase letters.
• Similarly the values of order variables are suggested with a $ prefixing the name of the variable.
  • Consider that only names of existing order variables can be used as the value for an environment variable.
• In addition to order variables any expressions can be used, for details see
  • JS7 - Expressions for Variables
  • JS7 - Assignment of Variables

Using Environment Variables with Job Scripts

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

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

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 should carry different values per node in which the job is used.

• Consider that node arguments cannot be modified dynamically - which is why they are called arguments, not variables. 
• Node arguments are available for mapping to environment variables in a similar manner to order variables.

Built-in Variables

Built-in variables are available at the following scopes:

Workflow

• $js7WorkflowPath
  • The unique name of a workflow. Consider that the name does not include the folder location of a workflow.
• $js7WorkflowPosition
  • The position of an order in the workflow.
• $js7Label
  • The label of the current instruction for which an order is executed.
• $js7OrderId
  • The order identifier.
• $js7ControllerId
  • The Controller's identifier as specified on installation.

Job

• $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
• $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.