The HotDocs Computation Archive

0120 - Variable[n]

Description:

When to use "[n]" after a repeated variable.

• Explanation •

You will notice that variables are occasionally followed by a number or variable name in square brackets: Variable[2] or Variable[ NumVar ]. The rhyme and reason are explained here.

This issue only affects repeated variables (variables in repeated dialogs). Remember that a repeated variable can contain any number of answers. The "[x]" notation is simply a way of referencing a specific iteration of the repeated variable. For example, assume that the text variable Color has three answers: Red, Yellow, and Blue. If I use «Color[2]», the answer Yellow will be returned.

The difficulty is knowing when you need to use the square brackets and when you don't. Here's the key: If you are referencing a repeated variable inside of a REPEAT block (where its parent dialog is being repeated), you can omit the iteration reference (the square brackets). BUT,

If you are referencing a repeated variable outside of a REPEAT block, you must reference the desired iteration like this: Variable[ iteration number ]. Otherwise it will always return Variable[ 1 ]. AND,

If you are referencing a repeated variable within a foreign REPEAT block (meaning, a dialog other than its parent dialog is being repeated), you must reference the desired iteration. A good example is a computation that copies the answers from one REPEATed dialog to another. This example assumes DialogA which contains VariableA, and DialogB which contains VariableB:

// Copy the answers from DialogA to DialogB
REPEAT DialogB
   SET VariableB TO VariableA[ COUNTER ]
END REPEAT

The iteration of VariableA must be referenced explicitly, because it is not contained in DialogB. Clear as mud?

A Note on Format. HotDocs is very tolerant of whitespace. So all of the following usages are allowed:

Variable[1]
Variable[ 1 ]
Variable [1]
Variable [ 1 ]
 
Variable[NumVar]
Variable[ NumVar ]
Variable [NumVar]
Variable [ NumVar ]

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