Variable Data enables expected screen values or input within a Script to be replaced with values from an internal spreadsheet.  Entering multiple rows into the Variable Data grid will cause all items indented beneath the action to be repeated, once for each row of data.  The following screen is displayed when a Variable Data set is edited.

• Dataset Name – The name by which the Variable Data set will be referred.

• Description – Text to further explain the contents of the data set.

• Expression – Click on a cell and then use the editor to create an expression which upon evaluation will provide the value contents of the cell.  Please see later section about expressions for more information.

Grid Manipulation #

Data for each cell can be keyed directly into the grid.  In addition to this the following row and column manipulation options are available from the right click menu.

• Insert Row – Add an empty row immediately before the currently selected row.

• Remove Row – Delete the currently selected row and its data.

• Insert Column – Add an empty column immediately before the currently selected column.  Please note that a column is selected by clicking on one of its cells but you must then right click on the column header to access this option.

• Remove Column – Delete the currently selected column and its data.  Please note that a column is selected by clicking on one of its cells but you must then right click on the column header to access this option.

Column Properties #

The column properties are accessed via the expandable panel to the right of the display.  Click on a cell to display and modify these properties.

• Auto-increment

• Alignment – Controls the display of values within the grid.  If set to ‘True’, the specified number within the Value property is added to the previous Variable Data value.

• Name – The name of the column as visible in the first row of the grid.

• Play Empty Values – If set to ‘True’, any empty variable data cells will still be used at playback, which could be necessary if a field already contains data which needs to be blanked out.

• Type – Select from Text, Number, Date, Boolean or Dynamic.  This represents how the data within the column will be treated at playback time.  Dynamic means that the most appropriate type for the data will attempt to be selected.

When the Variable Data set is used within a Playlist, you have the ability to change the start and rows of the Variable Data.

• Start at Row – The first row that will be used at playback time.

• End at Row – The last row that will be used at playback time.