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netFORUM Variables

A netFORUM Variable, also known as a Parsed Value, is an element whose value is substituted at runtime, such as {cst_key}, {CurrentUser}, {DefaultCountryGuid}, etc.

Parsed Values

Many areas of the netFORUM Toolkit and CMS support parsed values. In netFORUM, a parsed value is always enclosed with braces. Parsed Values may refer to certain system variables such as {CurrentDate}, or they may refer to Object Controls such as {org_cst_key}, or to System Options such as {ReportLoginUserName}.

When a Parsed Value is located in metadata, such as in a Child Form SQL expression or in a Form Control's default value, netFORUM will dynamically substitute the value in memory at runtime.

Parsed values are case sensitive because netFORUM runs in a case sensitive programming language (C#). Technically, the values are parsed in the Avectra.netForum.Data.DataUtils.ParseValues method (which has several overloads), and then to Avectra.netForum.Data.FacadeClass.GetValue.

Where Do Parsed Values Apply?

Many areas of the netFORUM Toolkit and CMS support parsed values. There are too many to mention, but basically the key areas include:

• Child Form SQL
• Web Page Detail content definition
• Web Site Default pane.
• Visibility SQL
• Correspondence Template in the message body (html and plain text)

What Can Be Parsed

Generally, these are the elements that can be parsed in certain metadata:

Variables

• Any control that belongs to the Object that is active in the item being parsed. Example, on an eWeb Page Detail, any controls in the content definition can be parsed if they are "understood" by the Object of the Form or Wizard of that Page Detail. Example, if you are on a Page Detail based on a Form based on the Individual object than you can parse {ind_first_name}.
• System Options - Any System Option value can be parsed.
• User Options - Any user option can be parsed.
• Non-Standard Parsed Values - see below.

Request Object Variables

You can parse anything from the Request object collection. This includes Request.Form, Request.QueryString, Request.ServerVariables, Request.Cookies. The syntax for this is {request:variable_name} for example {request:LOCAL_ADDR}. Technically, you may omit the request: prefix but we recommend keeping it to inform yourself (and others) that you are looking for something in the Request object and not something in a Facade Object, for example. We also recommend using the request: hint as it will speed processing time–the netFORUM engine will not have to guess what this variable is, it will just go directly to the Request object and get the variable.

• Form inputs -- anything from Request.Form
• Cookie -- on eWeb, you can parse the value of a cookie from Request.Cookie.
• Querystring - on eWeb, you can parsed the value of any querystring parameters. Note that this can get tricky if the querystring parameter name is the same as a control in the Object active on that page. If you run into conflicts or ambiguity, you can rename the querystring parameter. Example, instead of

DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=XYZ&ind_cst_key=abc-123

you might want to craft the URL to be instead:

DynamicPage.aspx?WebCode=XYZ&indcstkey=abc-123

In the latter example, you might have some List SQL that looks like this:

{BeginListSQL}SELECT a, b, c FROM dbo.co_customerWHERE cst_key ={indcstkey}{EndListSQL}

You can also request cookies or form values by putting "request:" in front of what you're looking for, example: {request:cookiename}.

• Server Variables - In eWeb you can parse anything in the Request.ServerVariables collection such as IP address using {request:REMOTE_ADDR}, for example. For list of all server variables, see Server Variables.

Application Object Variables

• Application Variables - Anything in the application collection, use syntax {application:ApplicationVariableName}.

Session Object Variables

• Session Variables - anything in the collection of Session Variables if you pass in "session:" in front of the session variable you want. Example, if the session variable is called "LoggedIn", then if you look for {session:LoggedIn} then you will get the value of that session variable.

Note: A List Control must have an associated Form in order to reference a Session Variable.

Parsing Conditional Logic

Parsed values can conditionally display information based on a test case using the following syntax:

{? << condition to evaluate true/false>> ? <<output if true>> ? <<output if false>> }

For example:

{?Product=="CPU"?You've bought a CPU?Not a CPU}

and:

{?pin_cc_auth==""?Invoice Date: {inv_add_date}?Transaction Date: {pin_add_date}}

In this last example, if the Parsed Value of pin_cc_auth is empty, then the contents between the 2nd and 3rd question mark character will be output; otherwise the contents between the 3rd question mark character and the last brace will be output.

Non-Standard Parsed Values

These are various configuration settings that can be parsed. Here is a list of some commonly used non-standard Parsed Values: