Variables MD3
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Edit Variable Properties tab Specification MD3

The properties in tab Specification determine the variable's capabilities on itself.

Type a meaningful name in Name. It is checked on uniqueness among all variables. In Comments free explaining text can be entered.

The Variable domain type is essential for its capabilities. Click the combobox and select a type:

  • Text List
  • Text Length
  • Number List
  • Number Length

For a Text List or Number List variable Detailed domain specs is a list to contain domain elements. For type Text List they can be any text. Some Match keywords, like VALUE, are forbidden. For type Number List they must be numbers.

For a Text Length or Number Length variable Detailed domain specs is mainly an Interval. For both Number types there is also a section on Number Format.

Checkbox Allow multiple values can be enabled or disabled. When disabled, the variable can contain one element (fitting in the domain). When enabled, it becomes a so called "multi-valued variable". It can contain more elements. How they become visible varies. In Players it is often with commas: element1, element2, element3. In a knowledge table it is element1 AND element2 AND element3. The order of elements is insignificant.

Domain linkage

Specifying the domain for each individual variable bears risks. A variable value can be assigned to another variable. Or they are compared. Then they must have compatible domains. An alternative is, to link the domain to another KB object. When we link two or more variables to the same object, their domains will always be the same. Three kinds of "parent" object are possible.

  • Link to another variable.
  • Link to a frame with a variable in that frame. This is only for Text List and Number List variables.
  • Link to a Set. See below.

Click the combobox Use a set. Select a set. To remove the link to a set, click the combobox. The first item is empty. Select it.

An alternative way to manage links to sets is described in category Sets.