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set

Written by Balazs Halasy, Updated by Balazs Halasy
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Summary

Sets the value of a variable.

Usage

{set $var1=value1 [ var2=value2 [...] ] [ name=name ] [ scope=scope ]}

Parameters

Name Type Description Required
var1 string Name of variable number one (with a dollar sign in front of it). Yes.
value1 any The value that should be assigned to variable 1. Yes.
var2 string Name of variable number two (with a dollar sign in front of it). No.
value2 any The value that should be assigned to variable 2. No.
name string The name of the target namespace. No.
scope string The scope ("global", "root" or "relative"). No.

Description

This function makes it possible to assign new values to variables that previously have been declared using either the "def" function. The "name" and "scope" parameters are optional and can be used to set the desired namespace and scope.

Examples

Example 1

{def $apples=4}
Before: {$apples} <br/>
...
{set $apples=8}
After: {$apples} <br/>

The following output will be produced:

Before: 4
After: 8

Example 1

{def name=ns1 $var1='ns1 org value'}
{def name=ns2 $var1='ns2 org value'}

Original values: <br/>
$ns1:var1 : {$ns1:var1} <br/>
$ns1:ns2:var1 : {$ns1:ns2:var1} <br/>
...
{set name=ns1 scope=root var1='new value'}
{set var1='new value'}
...
New values: <br />
$ns1:var1 : {$ns1:var1}<br/>
$ns1:ns2:var1 : {$ns1:ns2:var1}<br/>

The following output will be produced:

Original values:
$ns1:var1 : ns1 org value
$ns1:ns2:var1 : ns2 org value

New values:
$ns1:var1 : new value
$ns1:ns2:var1 : new value

Contributors

Comments (13 historical)

Written by readers of the earlier documentation sites, kept as they were.

  1. def using namespaces

    William Steenbergh ·

    Hi eZ Pub guys,
    In the manual for {def} it is stated that def does not support the 'name' and 'scope' parameters. In the examples of {set} however, it does. Did you simply 'search and replace' all occurences of {let} in the documentation, or do some parts of the manual need an update?

    1. Re: def using namespaces

      Alimi Nabil ·

      {set} is not {def} ;).
      Namespaces are supported by the set function but not by the def statement as mentionned in the documentation.
      In other words, you can define a variable and set a value for a specific namespace.

      1. Re: Re: def using namespaces

        Niels ·

        Example 1:
        {def name=ns1 $var1='ns1 org value'}
        {def name=ns2 $var1='ns2 org value'}
        There still ist a name=.. in there.

      2. Re: Re: def using namespaces

        Stefano Guandalini ·

        Yes, but what if I want to define a variable in the 'root' or 'global' namespace?
        The following does not work:

                {def $loaded='pippopippo'}        {set name=root $loaded='pippopippo'}

        In this case $root:loaded outputs nothing!
        g

        1. How to define global variables

          Leif Arne Storset ·

          After some forum searching, trial and failure, I found out how to work with global variables. Apparently, 'root' means current template, and 'global' is for exchanging data between templates. :S
          You cannot declare a variable as global, so just declare it like a regular variable (definition is compulsory):

          {def $total_items=0}

          To define or set a global variable:

          {set scope='global' $total_items=0}

          To read a global variable:

          {$#total_items}

          To update a global variable, you naturally combine the above:

          {set scope='global' $total_items=$#total_items|inc()}

          1. Replying to Leif Arne Storset

            Re: How to define global variables

            Olav Bringedal ·

            Thanks for your research.
            It really logical, but I had to try a few times before it got to me:
            You need to declare the variable in pagelayout.tpl to access it in templates on same or higher level than the one that sets it.

            1. Replying to Olav Bringedal

              Re: Re: How to define global variables

              Jon Ramster ·

              Thank you, thank you, thank you. Very, very frustrating until I came across this point.
              This is key point and SHOULD BE EMPHASISED VERY STRONGLY. I had a template calling another sub-template. This sub-template was setting a global variable. This didn't work until I defined the variable before the include, which then gave the variable a value and set its scope as 'global'.
              This seems incredibly counter-intuitive to me, but I would love for someone to explain why this is the way it is.

  2. either? what if undefined?

    zurgutt ·

    "..variables that previously have been declared using either the "def" function." - either def or what?
    And more importantly, what if variable is previously undeclared?

    1. Re: either? what if undefined?

      AtR ·

      {if is_set($module_result.node_id)}

    2. Re: either? what if undefined?

      Olav Bringedal ·

      "either def or predefined"?

  4. What is SCOPE?

    vytis ·

    what mean "scope"? Does "global" mean, that this variable will known in other templates?

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