Editor Variables

An editor variable is a shorthand notation for context-dependent information, like a file or folder path, a time-stamp, or a date. It is used in the definition of a command (for example the input URL of a transformation, the output file path of a transformation, the command line of an external tool) to make a command or a parameter generic and reusable with other input files. When the same command is applied to different files, the notation is expanded at the execution of the command so that the same command has different effects depending on the actual file.

You can use the following editor variables in Oxygen XML Editor commands of external engines or other external tools, in transformation scenarios, validation scenarios, and Author operations:

• ${oxygenHome} - Oxygen XML Editor installation folder as URL;
• ${oxygenInstallDir} - Oxygen XML Editor installation folder as file path;
• ${frameworks} - The path (as URL) of the frameworks subfolder of the Oxygen XML Editor install folder;
• ${frameworksDir} - The path (as file path) of the frameworks subfolder of the Oxygen XML Editor installation folder;
• ${home} - The path (as URL) of the user home folder;
• ${homeDir} - The path (as file path) of the user home folder;
• ${pdu} - Current project folder as URL;
• ${pd} - Current project folder as file path;
• ${pn} - Current project name;
• ${cfdu} - Current file folder as URL, that is the path of the current edited document up to the name of the parent folder, represented as a URL;
• ${cfd} - Current file folder as file path, that is the path of the current edited document up to the name of the parent folder;
• ${cfn} - Current file name without extension and without parent folder;
• ${cfne} - Current file name with extension;
• ${cf} - Current file as file path, that is the absolute file path of the current edited document;
• ${cfu} - The path of the current file as a URL;
• ${af} - The file path of the zip archive that includes the current transformed file (this variable is available only in a transformation scenario);
• ${afu} - The URL of the zip archive that includes the current transformed file (this variable is available only in a transformation scenario);
• ${afd} - The directory of the zip archive that includes the current transformed file (this variable is available only in a transformation scenario);
• ${afdu} - The URL of the directory of the zip archive that includes the current transformed file (this variable is available only in a transformation scenario);
• ${afn} - The file name (without parent directory and without file extension) of the zip archive that includes the current transformed file (this variable is available only in a transformation scenario);
• ${afne} - The file name (with file extension, for example .zip or .epub, but without parent directory) of the zip archive that includes the current transformed file (this variable is available only in a transformation scenario);
• ${currentFileURL} - Current file as URL, that is the absolute file path of the current edited document represented as URL;
• ${ps} - Path separator, that is the separator which can be used on the current platform (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux) between library files specified in the class path;
• ${timeStamp} - Time stamp, that is the current time in Unix format. It can be used for example to save transformation results in different output files on each transform;
• ${caret} - The position where the caret is inserted. This variable can be used in a code template , in Author operations, or in a selection plugin;
• ${selection} - The XML content of the current selection in the editor panel. This variable can be used in a code template and Author operations, or in a selection plugin;
• ${id} - Application-level unique identifier;
• ${uuid} - Universally unique identifier;
• ${env(VAR_NAME)} - Value of the VAR_NAME environment variable. The environment variables are managed by the operating system. If you are looking for Java System Properties, use the ${system(var.name)} editor variable;
• ${ask('message', type, ('real_value1':'rendered_value1'; 'real_value2':'rendered_value2'; ...), 'default_value')} - To prompt for values at runtime, use the ask('message', type, ('real_value1':'rendered_value1'; 'real_value2':'rendered_value2'; ...), 'default-value'') editor variable. You can set the following parameters:
  • 'message' - the displayed message. Note the quotes that enclose the message;
  • type - optional parameter. Can have one of the following values:
    • url - input is considered an URL. Oxygen XML Editor checks that the URL is valid before passing it to the transformation;
    • password - input characters are hidden;
    • generic - the input is treated as generic text that requires no special handling;
    • relative_url - input is considered an URL. Oxygen XML Editor tries to make the URL relative to that of the document you are editing;
      Note: You can use the $ask editor variable in file templates. In this case, Oxygen XML Editor keeps an absolute URL.
    • combobox - displays a dialog that contains a non-editable combo-box;
    • editable_combobox - displays a dialog that contains an editable combo-box;
    • radio - displays a dialog that contains radio buttons;
  • 'default-value' - optional parameter. Provides a default value in the input text box;
    Examples:

    • ${ask('message')} - Only the message displayed for the user is specified.
    • ${ask('message', generic, 'default')} - 'message' is displayed, the type is not specified (the default is string), the default value is 'default'.
    • ${ask('message', password)} - 'message' is displayed, the characters typed are masked with a circle symbol.
    • ${ask('message', password, 'default')} - same as before, the default value is 'default'.
    • ${ask('message', url)} - 'message' is displayed, the parameter type is URL.
    • ${ask('message', url, 'default')} - same as before, the default value is 'default'.
• ${system(var.name)} - Value of the var.name Java system property. The Java system properties can be specified in the command line arguments of the Java runtime as -Dvar.name=var.value. If you are looking for operating system environment variables, use the${env(VAR_NAME)} editor variable instead.
• ${date(pattern)} - Current date. Follows the given pattern. Example: yyyy-MM-dd;
• ${dbgXML} - The path to the current Debugger source selection (for tools started from the XSLT/XQuery Debugger);
• ${dbgXSL} - The path to the current Debugger stylesheet selection (for tools started from the XSLT/XQuery Debugger);
• ${tsf} - The transformation result file;
• ${ps} - The path separator which can be used on different operating systems between libraries specified in the class path;
• ${dsu} - The path of the detected schema as a URL;
• ${ds} - The path of the detected schema as a local file path;
• ${cp} - Current page number;
• ${tp} - Total number of pages in the document.