What Is the Syntax for Referencing Variables?

You can reference variables in analyses, dashboards, KPIs, and agents. How you reference a variable depends on the task that you are performing.

For tasks where you are presented with fields in a dialog, you must specify only the type and name of the variable (not the full syntax), for example, referencing a variable in a filter definition.

For other tasks, such as referencing a variable in a title view, you specify the variable syntax. The syntax you use depends on the type of variable as described in Table 2-1.

Note:

In the syntax, if the "at" sign (@) is not followed by a brace ({), then it is treated as an "at" sign.

Table 2-1 Syntax for Referencing Variables

Type of Variable	Syntax	Example
Session	@{biServer.variables['NQ_SESSION.variablename']} where variablename is the name of the session variable, for example DISPLAYNAME. For a list of system session variables that you can use, see "About System Session Variables" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Metadata Repository Builder's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.	@{biServer.variables['NQ_SESSION.USER']}
Repository	@{biServer.variables.variablename} or @{biServer.variables['variablename']} where variablename is the name of the repository variable, for example, prime_begin.	@{biServer.variables.prime_begin} or @{biServer.variables['prime_begin']}
Presentation or request	@{variables.variablename}[format]{defaultvalue} or @{scope.variables['variablename']} where: variablename is the name of the presentation or request variable, for example, MyFavoriteRegion. (optional) format is a format mask dependent on the data type of the variable, for example #,##0, MM/DD/YY hh:mm:ss. (Note that the format is not applied to the default value.) (optional) defaultvalue is a constant or variable reference indicating a value to be used if the variable referenced by variablename is not populated. scope identifies the qualifiers for the variable. You must specify the scope when a variable is used at multiple levels (analyses, dashboard pages, and dashboards) and you want to access a specific value. (If you do not specify the scope, then the order of precedence is analyses, dashboard pages, and dashboards.)	@{variables.MyFavoriteRegion}{EASTERN REGION} or @{dashboard.variables['MyFavoriteRegion']}

Type of Variable

Syntax

Example

Session

@{biServer.variables['NQ_SESSION.variablename']}

where variablename is the name of the session variable, for example DISPLAYNAME.

For a list of system session variables that you can use, see "About System Session Variables" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Metadata Repository Builder's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.

@{biServer.variables['NQ_SESSION.USER']}

Repository

@{biServer.variables.variablename}

@{biServer.variables['variablename']}

where variablename is the name of the repository variable, for example, prime_begin.

@{biServer.variables.prime_begin}

@{biServer.variables['prime_begin']}

Presentation or request

@{variables.variablename}[format]{defaultvalue}

@{scope.variables['variablename']}

where:

variablename is the name of the presentation or request variable, for example, MyFavoriteRegion.
(optional) format is a format mask dependent on the data type of the variable, for example #,##0, MM/DD/YY hh:mm:ss. (Note that the format is not applied to the default value.)
(optional) defaultvalue is a constant or variable reference indicating a value to be used if the variable referenced by variablename is not populated.
scope identifies the qualifiers for the variable. You must specify the scope when a variable is used at multiple levels (analyses, dashboard pages, and dashboards) and you want to access a specific value. (If you do not specify the scope, then the order of precedence is analyses, dashboard pages, and dashboards.)

@{variables.MyFavoriteRegion}{EASTERN REGION}

@{dashboard.variables['MyFavoriteRegion']}

You also can reference variables in expressions. The guidelines for referencing variables in expressions are described in Table 2-2.

Table 2-2 Guidelines for Referencing Variables in Expressions

Type of Variable	Guidelines	Example
Session	Include the session variable as an argument of the VALUEOF function. Enclose the variable name in double quotes. Precede the session variable by NQ_SESSION and a period. Enclose both the NQ_SESSION portion and the session variable name in parentheses.	"Market"."Region"=VALUEOF(NQ_SESSION."SalesRegion")
Repository	Include the repository variable as an argument of the VALUEOF function. Enclose the variable name in double quotes. Refer to a static repository variable by name. Refer to a dynamic repository variable by its fully qualified name. If you are using a dynamic repository variable, then the names of the initialization block and the repository variable must be enclosed in double quotes ("), separated by a period, and contained within parentheses. For example, to use the value of a dynamic repository variable named REGION contained in a initialization block named Region Security, use this syntax: VALUEOF("Region Security"."REGION") For more information, see "About Repository Variables" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Metadata Repository Builder's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.	CASE WHEN "Hour" >= VALUEOF("prime_begin") AND "Hour" < VALUEOF("prime_end") THEN 'Prime Time' WHEN ... ELSE...END
Presentation	Use this syntax: @{variablename}{defaultvalue} where variablename is the name of the presentation variable and defaultvalue (optional) is a constant or variable reference indicating a value to be used if the variable referenced by variablename is not populated. To type-cast (that is, convert) the variable to a string, enclose the entire syntax in single quotes, for example: '@{user.displayName}' Note: If the @ sign is not followed by a {, then it is treated as an @ sign.	"Market"."Region"=@{MyFavoriteRegion}{EASTERN REGION}

Type of Variable

Guidelines

Example

Session

Include the session variable as an argument of the VALUEOF function.
Enclose the variable name in double quotes.
Precede the session variable by NQ_SESSION and a period.
Enclose both the NQ_SESSION portion and the session variable name in parentheses.

"Market"."Region"=VALUEOF(NQ_SESSION."SalesRegion")

Repository

Include the repository variable as an argument of the VALUEOF function.
Enclose the variable name in double quotes.
Refer to a static repository variable by name.
Refer to a dynamic repository variable by its fully qualified name.

If you are using a dynamic repository variable, then the names of the initialization block and the repository variable must be enclosed in double quotes ("), separated by a period, and contained within parentheses. For example, to use the value of a dynamic repository variable named REGION contained in a initialization block named Region Security, use this syntax:

VALUEOF("Region Security"."REGION")

For more information, see "About Repository Variables" in Oracle Fusion Middleware Metadata Repository Builder's Guide for Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition.

CASE WHEN "Hour" >= VALUEOF("prime_begin") AND "Hour" < VALUEOF("prime_end") THEN 'Prime Time' WHEN ... ELSE...END

Presentation

Use this syntax:
```
@{variablename}{defaultvalue}
```
where variablename is the name of the presentation variable and defaultvalue (optional) is a constant or variable reference indicating a value to be used if the variable referenced by variablename is not populated.
To type-cast (that is, convert) the variable to a string, enclose the entire syntax in single quotes, for example:
```
'@{user.displayName}'
```

Note: If the @ sign is not followed by a {, then it is treated as an @ sign.

"Market"."Region"=@{MyFavoriteRegion}{EASTERN REGION}

For the specific areas where you can reference variables, see "Where Can I Reference Variables?".