Variables used in links

The variables used in links are listed below. The application "us.link" is in charge of executing the link expressions using the values set in those variables. If values for the logical variables are not specified, they default to false. Unless noted, the special variables used by prior applications are also used by us.link.

Search for	Example	Results
A single word	`cat`	Topics that contain the word "cat". You will also find its grammatical variations, such as "cats".
A phrase. You can specify that the search results contain a specific phrase.	`"cat food"` (quotation marks)	Topics that contain the literal phrase "cat food" and all its grammatical variations. Without the quotation marks, the query is equivalent to specifying an OR operator, which finds topics with one of the individual words instead of the phrase.

Search for	Operator	Example
Two or more words in the same topic	`AND` `and` `+` (plus symbol) `&` (ampersand)	`cat AND dog` `"cat food"+milk` `"cat food"&"dog food"`
Either word in a topic	`OR` `or` `\|` (pipe)	`cat OR dog` `cat \| dog`
Topics that do not contain a specific word or phrase	`NOT` `not` `!` (exclamation point)	`NOT cat` `! dog`
Topics that contain one string and do not contain another	`^` (caret)	`cat ^ mouse`
A combination of search types	`( )` parentheses	`cat + (dog \| mouse)` `cat \| dog + (! mouse)`

Variable	Value	Use
$fill.date.calendar	true or false	Enables a pop-up calendar window, and is used for date/time fields. Note: $fill.date.calendar is no longer needed when using 6.2 or later clients, which allow you to define a date/time field on a form as a "calendar"-type widget.
$fill.display.add	true or false	Determines whether you can add a record if the current link query returns no records.
$fill.display	true or false	Determines whether the record you are filling from opens before you copy data from it into your source record.
$fill.exact	true or false	Forces the project panel to adhere strictly to data types and index levels during the project.
$find.skip	true or false	Tells the application to skip the current entry whenever a "find" is performed on the field.
$fill.list	An array list of values. For example: $fill.list={"a", "b", "c"}	Enables you to fill from an array list of values. Target file and field names are not required when using this option. For example, $fill.list={"a","b","c"} will execute a pop-up window where the user can select one of the array values, a, b, or c.
$fill.recurse.msg	A message. For example: $fill.recurse.msg="Hello world"	Defines the message to appear on a recursive link (when $fill.recurse=true).
$fill.option.copy	true or false	This option is no longer necessary when using us.link.
$fill.option.skip	true or false	Enables the skip option to skip the current link entry and move on when displaying the results of a recursive fill.
$fill.recurse	true or false	Determines whether to move to the next entry in the link record (perform a recursive fill).
$fill.replace	true or false	Governs whether a field that contains data should be overwritten with new data (including NULL). Only used for the project portion of a fill, not fields specified on the fill to/fill from section of the link line.
$fill.search.format	Form to use when performing a fill. For example: $fill.search.format="company"	Defines the search screen to use when performing a fill. If this variable is set in the link expression, and the field that you are filling is NULL, the indicated search screen opens. The search created here continues the standard fill process.
$fill.skip	true or false	Tells the application to skip the current entry and continue based upon the value of $fill.recurse for that entry.
$fill.structure	Specific link. For example: $fill.structure={1,"rad"}	Enables you to perform a find from a field that is part of a structured array and to use fill to move information into that specific element of the structured array when: - The field name to fill from/post to is part of the structured array. - The field name to fill from/post to is not used in any other structure of the database dictionary record. - The name of the structure must be the same as the name of the array of which it is a part. To use find/fill on a structured array, you must set up the variable $fill.structure in the expressions of the specific link line. $fill.structure is an array of two elements. The first is the index of the field (that is used as the source field) in the structure and is of type number. The second is the name of the structure and is of type character. When using the fill function on a structured array, you can only modify the specific line of the structure being accessed. Instead of the actual field name, use the index number of the field within the structure. This includes the source field.
$project.first	true or false	Governs whether a project should be done before moving any of the fields defined in the list of fill to/fill from fields.
$fill.mult	true or false	Determines whether or not you can fill information from multiple records. True enables fill information from multiple records. The default value is true.

Variable

Value

Use

$fill.date.calendar

true or false

Enables a pop-up calendar window, and is used for date/time fields.
Note: $fill.date.calendar is no longer needed when using 6.2 or later clients, which allow you to define a date/time field on a form as a "calendar"-type widget.

$fill.display.add

true or false

Determines whether you can add a record if the current link query returns no records.

$fill.display

true or false

Determines whether the record you are filling from opens before you copy data from it into your source record.

$fill.exact

true or false

Forces the project panel to adhere strictly to data types and index levels during the project.

$find.skip

true or false

Tells the application to skip the current entry whenever a "find" is performed on the field.

$fill.list

An array list of values. For example: $fill.list={"a", "b", "c"}

Enables you to fill from an array list of values. Target file and field names are not required when using this option. For example, $fill.list={"a","b","c"} will execute a pop-up window where the user can select one of the array values, a, b, or c.

$fill.recurse.msg

A message. For example: $fill.recurse.msg="Hello world"

Defines the message to appear on a recursive link (when $fill.recurse=true).

$fill.option.copy

true or false

This option is no longer necessary when using us.link.

$fill.option.skip

true or false

Enables the skip option to skip the current link entry and move on when displaying the results of a recursive fill.

$fill.recurse

true or false

Determines whether to move to the next entry in the link record (perform a recursive fill).

$fill.replace

true or false

Governs whether a field that contains data should be overwritten with new data (including NULL). Only used for the project portion of a fill, not fields specified on the fill to/fill from section of the link line.

$fill.search.format

Form to use when performing a fill. For example: $fill.search.format="company"

Defines the search screen to use when performing a fill. If this variable is set in the link expression, and the field that you are filling is NULL, the indicated search screen opens. The search created here continues the standard fill process.

$fill.skip

true or false

Tells the application to skip the current entry and continue based upon the value of $fill.recurse for that entry.

$fill.structure

Specific link. For example: $fill.structure={1,"rad"}

Enables you to perform a find from a field that is part of a structured array and to use fill to move information into that specific element of the structured array when:
- The field name to fill from/post to is part of the structured array.
- The field name to fill from/post to is not used in any other structure of the database dictionary record.
- The name of the structure must be the same as the name of the array of which it is a part.

To use find/fill on a structured array, you must set up the variable $fill.structure in the expressions of the specific link line. $fill.structure is an array of two elements. The first is the index of the field (that is used as the source field) in the structure and is of type number. The second is the name of the structure and is of type character.

When using the fill function on a structured array, you can only modify the specific line of the structure being accessed. Instead of the actual field name, use the index number of the field within the structure. This includes the source field.

$project.first

true or false

Governs whether a project should be done before moving any of the fields defined in the list of fill to/fill from fields.

$fill.mult

true or false

Determines whether or not you can fill information from multiple records. True enables fill information from multiple records. The default value is true.

Related concepts

Connect

Micro Focus Marketplace

ITSM Blog for IT Service Management

ITSM Community

Documentation Forum

Learn

Software Support Online

Software Support Downloads

Software Education Services

Contact

Send Help Center feedback

Submit Service Request

View Service Requests