Name

It is name of the variable. Variable names can be of any length. It should contain at least an alphabet. Spaces and hyphens can be included inside variable names. Since the literals (constants) are not included inside the quotes, the system does not allow variable names which partially match with other names in the variable objects. For example, Customer. Age and Customer. Age Status would be conflicting and system would accept only one whichever created first. In such case Customer. Status of Age can be used in place of Customer. Age Status. Reserved words are not allowed to be variable names.

Data Type

The data types supported: Variant, Boolean, Number, Real, Text, Matrix, Compound, Trend, Date, URL, Document

Description

Description about variable. It is helpful in system documentation. Should ideally specify what is the use of variable, where and how it is used etc. Tags <User></User> and <System></System> can be used to differentiate between system and user description respectively.

Title

The title of the variable that would appear on reports as heading. Default is variable name.

Menu Name
(Simple)

Name of the menu linked to this variable. Menu can be assigned to variable to validate the possible values, to convert data from one format to another etc. Along with menu name, property: IsUsingMenuCode can be used to use values as Menu Code instead of Menu Option. If this property is set Menu Code is used in place of Menu Option.

Default Value

Default value assigned to variable.

Database Field

This property is used when variable value is to be fetched from the database at run-time. It is set to name of Dynamic Query. Alternative to this is to use GET_DB_FIELD function.

Mask

Value of the variable can be formatted using Mask. This mask is used in reports and applicable to only numeric and date Vars. Mask can be used to enter dates in specific format.

Display Format

When variable value is displayed on report. This HTML formatting would be used. The format text should contain [Value] where value would be populated. e.g.<b><font Colour='Green'>[Value]</font></b> value would be green and bold. If NoShowis set as format text, then value of variable would not be displayed on report, however variable value would be available (may be used calculation, etc.)

WhenAdded Script

The JavaScript code which is executed at run-time whenever variable is initialised with some value either through the database or by user. This is required when values of other values to be derived by procedural calculations etc. The script can include Variable Object Names inside the script. The system automatically creates corresponding JavaScript which can be executed during run-time. The script can be server side (.asp) or client side (.htm). Depending upon the file name extension assigned. The JavaScript code is stored in the file specified in Script Filename property. WhenAddedScripts play crucial role in implementing procedural logic along with Intelligent systems.

The following example script is written on variableManufacturing.Unit:

SetValue ([Manufacturing.UnitFactor],1);
if ([Manufacturing.Units] =="inch")
SetValue ([Manufacturing.UnitFactor],24.8);
if ([Manufacturing.Units]=="cm") SetValue ([Manufacturing.UnitFactor],10);

Whenever user enters Unit, the script would calculate Manufacturing.UnitFactor. The Variables that to be computed must use special JavaScript library function called as SetValue.

Dynamic Menu

Like Menu option which holds list of possible values for a variable. The dynamic menu holds the value at run-time. Values are retrieved from database or from static menu based on filter. When the possible values of the variable are to be retrieved and populated from database at run-time, dynamic menu is linked to variable. For example, if a variable takes list of cities in a selected State, the value of variable depends upon State selected. A dynamic menu is assigned in such a case which retrieves list of cities by sending state name/code as filter.

Question

A prompt to be displayed on web page. It can include [variable name], which would be replaced by the corresponding value at run-time.

Description

Description of variable to be displayed to convey interpretation/purpose of the input, etc. The description text can be in HTML format. The description can include [variable name]

Minimum, Maximum
and Increment Value

Applicable in case of integer and real variables. It helps to validate the data entered by the user. The system adds a JavaScript code to the web-page to perform these validations. If increment value is set then navigation menu is added (increment and decrement) to the control.

Validation Condition

A JavaScript code to be used to validate the data entered. It can include [variable name]. For example: Customer. Gross Savings<=Customer. Gross Income. The system automatically converts the Java Code into executable Java Code when web-page is generated. The validation message can be set in Validation Message property.

Form Title

This title is used when variable value is to be entered through the data entry form generated.

Input Control

Control to be used Web-page. Controls correspond to data types and other property set. For example, to get integer, real, matrix, data etc. Text box is used. If menu is assigned to a variable, then either Radio Box or Dropdown box is used. For compound text data type, (if menu is assigned) check boxes are used. The Max Length can be specified in case of input from Textbox. If the data type is compound, the maximum occurrences of inputs can be specified. For example, if BankAccounts is a variable of compound type with bank account names and max accounts can be entered is 5. It can be set maximum occurrences to 5.

When more than one options for controls like radiobox and checkbox to be displayed on each line, this option can be set. The option Options/Line is also applicable in case of compound Variables with more than one occurrence. Default (set to 1) it displays on option at a time (vertical fashion). The navigation menu is optional and can be set using property Navigation Menu   

If ControlType selected is File then file browse upload interface is added to the web page. This helps to upload client data into variable e.g. session variable.

Password_New control is used when password is to be entered first time.

If password controls are used, values are not shown in reports etc.

Image File Name

Any Image to be displayed along with webpage as a popup.

Web Page File

Name of the web page that would created to get the value of variable from user and automatically invoked by the system at run-time. The default template name is automatically assigned by the system if not specified depending upon the variable name. It replaces all special characters like space, dot('.') with hyphen. These web pages are created on the path that corresponds to application group prefixed with app name. When web pages are created, the system uses a template file as a formatting template where html controls and JavaScript code are inserted by the system. This file is picked up from the subdirectory corresponding to application group. The web-page generated itself is stored in that subdirectory and accessed from it at run-time.

Template File

The name of the html file used to create web-page based on various variable parameters. This file must either contain a tag <!--INSERT HERE--> or separate tag like entries like [PROMPT], [CONTROL], [DESCRIPTION], [OPTION_IMAGE], [OPTION_DESCRIPTION], [IMAGE] to insert appropriate contents and control. This file also should contain buttons (or URLs for) like OK, Back, Break Session and corresponding JavaScript code. Web page may not be visible or created if this file name is not set properly or does not contain mandatory tags. Normally default files: Template.htm and Popup_Template.htm are copied by the system into application directory. These can be modified based on requirements. Template file also contains [JAVASCRIPT_URL] where javascript file path and default.css is inserted. Default.css file contains various HTML formatting to be set to various parts of html page. 

Report ID

ID of the report that is attached to the variable. This ID works as default report ID which is displayed whenever value of variable is asked. When report ID is connected to Goal variable. Session output would be formatted using this report ID if variable is used as Goal Variable in ShowReport.aspx URL.

Default Report Title

Default title to be appeared on report. It can be HTML formatted.

CBR Report ID

ID of the CBR report that is attached to the variable. This ID works as default report ID which is displayed whenever matching cases are shown.

Default CBR Report Title

Default CBR report title to be appeared on CBR matching result.

View URL/Expression

Used to display URL link or expression when variable value is displayed on report. This can include Variables included in []. Values would be replaced at run time for each row in case it is SQL report.  It populates values at run time into Variables for each row.

See OP_ReportURLParam

Form Interface

A form interface can be linked to Goal variable to enter the data in batch mode rather than asking one variable input to the user through Q&A session. Merely adding form interface to the variable does not automatically invoke the form. Whenever variable value is asked explicitly or by expert system Q&A, form is invoked to get the values.

Neural network

ID of the neural network linked to this variable. It can show the results derived by running the neural network. 

CBR Schema

Schema ID of Case-Schema linked to this variable. Whenever matching cases to be fetched for this variable goal, this schema would be used by Case Engine to retrieve similar cases.