Extension:Variables

MediaWiki extensions manualManual:Extensions

Variables Release status:Extension status stable
ImplementationTemplate:Extension#type	Parser function
DescriptionTemplate:Extension#description	Introduces parser functions for dealing with page-scoped variables.
Author(s)Template:Extension#username	Rob Adams, Tom Hempel, Xiloynaha, Daniel Werner
Latest versionTemplate:Extension#version	2.1.0 (2014-04-22)
MediaWikiTemplate:Extension#mediawiki	1.19+
PHPTemplate:Extension#php	5.3+
Database changesTemplate:Extension#needs-updatephp	No
LicenseTemplate:Extension#license	Public domain
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Hooks usedTemplate:Extension#hook ParserFirstCallInitManual:Hooks/ParserFirstCallInit ParserClearStateManual:Hooks/ParserClearState InternalParseBeforeLinksManual:Hooks/InternalParseBeforeLinks InternalParseBeforeSanitizeManual:Hooks/InternalParseBeforeSanitize
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Vagrant roleMediaWiki-Vagrant#Using roles	variables

The Variables extension allows you to define a variable on a page, use it later in that same page or included templates, change its value, possibly to a value given by an expression in terms of the old value, etc.

It is much like a template, only very lightweight and scoped to only a single page, so you can use many variables on a page without slowing down the wiki with huge numbers of templates. Combine this extension with the ParserFunctions extension for best results.

Assigning a value to a variable

#vardefine

• {{#vardefine:variablename|specifiedvalue}}

Assigns the value specifiedvalue to the (already existing or hereby introduced) variable variablename.

• Example: {{#vardefine:iconwidth|25}} making iconwidth = 25

#vardefineecho

• {{#vardefineecho:variablename|specifiedvalue}}

Works exactly as #vardefine, but the affected value is printed.

• Example: making iconwidth = {{#vardefineecho:iconwidth|25}}

Retrieving the value of a variable

#var

The value of the variable variablename is produced by

• {{#var:variablename}}

If undefined, this produces an empty string; it does not give an error message.

It is possible to define a value for the case that the variable is undefined or void:

• {{#var:variablename |defaultvalue}}

This is equivalent to:

• {{#if: {{#var:variablename}} |{{#var:variablename}} |defaultvalue}}

but it is much shorter and better arranged. Before version 2.0 though, the default value always was expanded. From version 2.0 on the default only gets expanded in case it is actually used.

The value can be used in parser functions, etc.

#varexists

• {{#varexists:variablename}} returns 1 if the variable is already defined (also when the value is a void string). If the variable is not defined the return value is void.

#var_final

Experimental new function introduced in Variables 2.0. This function will output the final, last value a variable has at the end of the page rendering. Naturally, the value will be inserted after the parser went over the entire wiki markup, so this function can't be used in other functions, expecting the right value is being used. Example:

• {{#var_final:variablename |default}}

The default value will be used if the variable doesn't exist at the final page rendering stage or if its value is an empty string. The default will be expanded right where the function is used, so the parameter will be expanded, even if it won't be needed.

Examples

The ParserFunctions extension must also be installed to use #expr.

Compute x = 2*a + b:

• {{#vardefine:x|{{#expr:2*{{#var:a}}+{{#var:b}}}} }}

Add one to n:

• {{#vardefine:n|{{#expr:{{#var:n}}+1}}}}

Installation

• Download and place the file(s) in a directory called Variables in your extensions/ folder.
• Add the following code at the bottom of your LocalSettings.php:

  require_once "$IP/extensions/Variables/Variables.php";
  

• Y Done - Navigate to Special:Version on your wiki to verify that the extension is successfully installed.
• This extension is not likely to be enabled for WMF wikis, see phab:T65324, phab:T113859, and phab:T151192.

See also

• Extension:PhpTagsExtension:PhpTags
• Extension:DynamicFunctions##arg:
• Extension:MyVariables - Creates new variables in the MediaWiki sense
• Extension:Loops - Provides parser functions for performing loops
• Extension:Arrays - Create an array and provide array functions (such as search, split, and sort) and set operations (such as intersect, union and diff)
• Extension:HashTables - New parser functions for handling hash tables in MediaWiki