set

Written by Balazs Halasy, 02/06/2004 Updated 01/25/2013 by Graham Brookins Maintainers: Balazs Halasy, Ricardo Correia

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 2

{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

Example 3

{def $today='rainy'}
Before: Today is a {$today} day!
{set scope=global $today='sunny'}
After: Today is a {$today} day!

The following output will be produced:

Before: Today is a rainy day!
After: Today is a sunny day!

Contributors

Balazs Halasy Author 02/06/2004 Maintainer
Ricardo Correia Maintainer
William Steenbergh Commenter 12/30/2005
Alimi Nabil Commenter 01/03/2006
Niels Commenter 06/09/2006
Stefano Guandalini Commenter 06/14/2006
Leif Arne Storset Commenter 09/04/2006
Olav Bringedal Commenter 12/07/2006
Guillaume Commenter 11/23/2007
Gaetano Commenter 03/10/2008
zurgutt Commenter 02/16/2006
AtR Commenter 03/08/2006
Ronnie Garcia Commenter 03/16/2006
Pike Commenter 12/19/2006
vytis Commenter 06/19/2006

Comments (14 historical)

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

def using namespaces

William Steenbergh · 12/30/2005 08:51 am

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 · 01/03/2006 10:51 am
  
  {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 · 06/09/2006 07:39 am
    
    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 · 06/14/2006 03:43 pm
    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 · 09/04/2006 12:30 pm
      
      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 · 11/22/2006 10:33 am
        
        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.
        
        Replying to Olav Bringedal
        
        Re: Re: How to define global variables
        
        Guillaume · 11/23/2007 03:40 pm
        
        This doesn't work for me, i can set the var but i cannot get the value.
        
        Replying to Guillaume
        
        Re: Re: Re: How to define global variables
        
        Gaetano · 03/10/2008 09:17 pm
        
        If you have trouble using scopes or namespaces, a simpler solution is to use the "persistent_variable" var:
        - it is accessed as $persistent_variable in node templates
        - it can be set directly in any template without having to be def()ined first
        - it can be set() in an included template and it will be available in the including template
        - it will even be available in another template included after the one where it is set
        - it will be available in the pagelayout via $module_result.content_info.persistent_variable
        the only drawback is that it is not easy to use in custom modules.
        To store multiple values, just make it a hashmap containing all the desired values.
        Otoh if all you need to pass around between templates are strings, you might also investigate the set-block template function, which takes scope and namespace params. It works better than set.
either? what if undefined?

zurgutt · 02/16/2006 11:50 pm

"..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 · 03/08/2006 11:26 pm
  
  {if is_set($module_result.node_id)}
2. Re: either? what if undefined?
  
  Olav Bringedal · 12/07/2006 01:00 pm
  
  "either def or predefined"?
set limitations

Ronnie Garcia · 03/16/2006 05:24 pm

According to this bug report : http://ez.no/community/bugs/weird_behavior_or_bug_on_set_statement
You can't {set} array values or object attributes.
Eg: {set $object_parameters['link_to_image']=true()}
is *not* valid (at least in 3.6.2). Bummer.
1. Re: set limitations
  
  Pike · 12/19/2006 03:00 pm
  
  true, and it's not considered a bug and the issue is closed. the rule is: the set function can only have variable names at the left hand side of the "=".
  however, you can achieve something similar with array_merge :
  http://ez.no/doc/ez_publish/techn...ence/template_operators/arrays/merge
What is SCOPE?

vytis · 06/19/2006 09:50 am

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

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