Variables

In RVL, variables are useful for storing intermediate results as well as accessing and passing global values to external JavaScript functions.

Variables may be used in Params to Conditions and in Actions.

Declaring and Assigning

This line declares a variable without any values. Its value may be assigned later:

Flow	Type	Object	Action	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
	Variable			`MyVar1`

This line declares and assigns value 5 to a variable MyVar2:

Flow	Type	Object	Action	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
	Variable			`MyVar2`	number	5

If the variable is declared earlier, then assignment just changes its value. If the variable is not yet declared, then assignment is actually a declaration with assignment.

Using

Any Params value may accept a variable:

...	Type	...	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
...	Param		text	variable	`MyVar1`

Any Params value may accept an expression using variables:

...	Type	...	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
...	Param		text	expression	`MyVar2 + 4`

Any Action may write its return value to a variable using the Output statement:

Flow	Type	Object	Action	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
	Action	Global	DoTrim	str	string	text to trim
	Output				variable	`MyVar1`

The Output value may then be used as a param value in actions, conditions, assertions and expressions.

Local Variables

By default declared variables are assumed to be local. Local variables may be used only within the current RVL script and not visible from other RVL scripts or JavaScript code.

Global Variables

You may have a JavaScript variable defined in the user Functions file (*.user.js), i.e.:

// Piece from MyTest1.user.js var globalVar = "Value";

Then in the RVL you may declare globalVar as global and access it (read or assign values). Declaring a variable as global is simple:

Flow	Type	Object	Action	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
	Variable		Global	`globalVar`

Global variables are useful for exchanging and/or sharing data between different RVL scripts or between RVL and JavaScript.

Variable Actions

One may use an expression to change the value of a variable. Here are several common variable operations that may be used to modify variable values:

Increment is an operation where numeric value is increased by 1 or any other specified value. The variable must have a numeric value. Otherwise the result is NaN.

If no param to Increment is specified then 1 is assumed:

Flow	Type	Object	Action	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
	Variable		Increment	`numVar`

Otherwise it is any value:

Flow	Type	Object	Action	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
	Variable		Increment	`numVar`	`number`	value

Decrement is the same as increment but the value is subtracted from the variable.
Append adds the value as text to the specified variable. This operation is useful for constructing text messages:

Flow	Type	Object	Action	ParamName	ParamType	ParamValue
	Variable		Append	`textVar`	`string`	Final value:
	Variable		Append	`textVar`	`variable`	`numVar`

In this example if textVar was empty and numVar had value 5 then the final value of textVar is the following text: Final value: 5

Examples

Variables may be declared as Local or Global. Declaration may or may not contain initial value

Variables may accept output from the Action:

Variables may be used as input to the Action: