8.4

Variable properties can also be mixed, meaning you can combine, within a single variable property box, any
number and order of variable types. You can, for example, do the following for an output file name: %O_@
(1,1,1,30, KeepCase,Trim)_%y-%m-%d.txt. This would translate in the original file name, followed by part of
the first line of a text data file, then the current date.
Contextual Menu
In any variable properties box, you may use the contextual (right-click) menu to add variables and control
characters, as well as to get data and make data selections. The lower part of the contextual menu is divided
into 4 items that provide variable properties:
l Variables
l System: Contains system variables, also called "Standard Variables" on page 470.
l Job Info: Contains Job Info variables from %1 to %9
l Local Variables: Contains a list of local variables in this process. If no local variables exist, this
item is disabled.
l Global Variables:Contains a list of global variables in this configuration. If no global variables
exist, this item is disabled.
l Control Characters:Contains a list of control characters that can be used in printers.
l Get Data Value: Brings up the Data Selector, retrieves the value you select and places it in the
variable properties box. This information becomes static and does not change between each datapage
and job file.
l Get Data Location:Brings up the Data Selector and records your selection. The data selection is
dynamic, meaning it will get the data located in the area you choose, every time a new data file passes
through it. This is indicated by a data selection (See "Data Selections " on page 18).
l
Get Metadata Value:Brings up the Data Selector with only the Metadata tab visible and lets you
select the value (contents)of a Metadata attribute or field. The result is static and does not change
between jobs.
l
Get Metadata Location:Brings up the Data Selector with only the Metadata tab visible and lets you
select the location of the data. The result is variable and changes between jobs.
Get Metadata Location and Get Metadata Value, introduced in PlanetPress Workflow 7.4, can be of great
help if working with very large data files that take too long to display in the Data Selector, or files that are of a
format not recognized by PlanetPress Workflow. Because the Data Selector does not show the Data tab, it
does not load these files so it does not read them or attempt to make data selections on them.