User Guide > Objects > Working with Objects > General Information

General Information

In AE, you can use specific variables in attributes or in the scripts of executable objects. While these objects are being executed, the variables are replaced by the corresponding values. These values are either system- or object-related values.

Predefined variables are placeholders for values of the object in which they are used, a Variable object or the AE system. You can also retrieve and use these values with script functions (such as SYS_ACT_ME_NAME). Using variables, however, simplifies this procedure and reduces the length of scripts in objects.

They can either be used in attributes or the AE Script of executable objects. Predefined variables can also be used in the following places (they are replaced by the corresponding value at the time they are accessed):

Variable objects - Variable tab - within SQL statements (SQL variables).
Executable objects - "Variables & Prompts": as values for object variables and PromptSet elements.
Workflow - Object properties - General tab: Alias.
The predefined variable &$TASK_NAME# can only be used in this field.
Workflow - Object properties - Preconditionsand Postconditions tabs: for parameters of conditions and statements.
Note that predefined variables refer to the workflow here, and not to the task.
PromptSet - Designer tab - default value for the PromptSet elements.

Predefined variables for Variable objects are not supported in AE Script and are therefore not replaced. Use the script elements GET_VAR /PUT_VAR to access Variable objects.

You can insert predefined variables either manually or by using the Variable picker dialog in the UserInterface. You can open this dialog using the toolbar of objects.

A list of all predefined variables for system and object values is available here.

Script or object variables can also be used in attributes. More details are provided in the document "Attributes."

Syntax

Variables that stand for values of the AE system or the object in which they are used commence with &$ and end with #. In between is a string that is constant except for the format of date and time values. These values correspond to the return codes of script functions or object attributes.

A specific variable is required to insert Variable-object values in attributes dynamically and at runtime. It has the following syntax:
{ Variable object [, Key [, Column number ]] }

Key: Key column in static Variable objects or the first value column (first basic column) in dynamic Variable objects. If neither the Key nor the column is defined, the system uses the value of the first entry or the result column /first Value column.

These placeholders are also available in the Variable picker dialog unless it has been called via script. The document Using Variable objects describes where these placeholders can be used.

These placeholders cannot be used in Forms tabs. Forms only support predefined variables for system and object values.

In attribute fields and scripts, all predefined variables are highlighted in purple.

You can also use variables in the fields of Form tabs (for example, in SAP jobs). In this case, the variables are not highlighted in color.