About global overridable variables

Build 1501 on 14/Nov/2017  This topic last edited on: 22/Dec/2015, at 09:27

GN4 uses global overridable variables for all defaults that have to be customized on-site. For the reference, see Global Overridable Variables.

An example: the GN4 default for kicker frame height (when adding it on Fred4) is 30000 mpt, but in your GN4 system you need it to be 24000 mpt. Or, the default name of the body element is "body", while in your Italian GN4 system you want it to be "testo". Or you want some script not to prompt you for the choice, but to predefine the choice.

In version 1.5 and in 1.4.1587.x or newer, we introduced the concept of typography-dependent global overridable variables (see Typography-dependent overridable variables for further details).

_important To make the changes available to GN4 client workstations after modifying EditorialConfig, make all users to log out and log back on to GN4 client software. IIS reset is not needed.

hmtoggle_plus1Where defined?

GN4 system global overridable variables are defined in various places:

1.For the system add-ins, as VB.Net properties in EdConfig class in Ted.vb, This defines the property itself and it's default value, but not the override.

2.For the custom add-ins, as VB.Net properties in CustomEdConfig class in CustomTed.vb, This defines the property itself and it's default value, but not the override.

3.As values defined under <Dict> node in the EditorialConfig. This defines the site-dependent override.

To access the EditorialConfig, run EdAdmin4, click Client applications under Application Configuration, locate EditorialConfig and double-click it.

The properties are available in all classes of Ted4 and Fred4. While in PageDesignerAddIn class of Page.vb and in TxtDesignerBase of Article.vb you can call global overridable variables also without the EdConfig. prefix, it is recommended to use the prefix for better readability. In other add-ins you must specify the EdConfig. prefix before the variable name, e.g. EdConfig.bodyname.
hmtoggle_plus1Structure of the VB.Net properties in Ted.VB

There is one readonly property for each overridable variable.

Should you need to add new variables, you must add a new properties definition for each variable in EdConfig class in Ted.vb, and then add a new value (as string) for each variable in the EditorialConfig.

For each property you specify the type with As clause: String, Integer, Boolean etc. This type defines how the value, specified in EditorialConfig in <Dict> node as string, gets converted in the appropriate type.

The property syntax is fairly simple and based on the GetDef custom function. Below is an example of the bodyname property.

Example of a property:

Public Shared ReadOnly Property F_JumpTopM As String ' margin

  Get

    Return GetDef(F_JumpTopM", "0")

  End Get

End Property

Explanation of the property parts and rules:

1.The part Public Shared ReadOnly Property is mandatory and it has to be as such in all EdConfig properties.

2.The property name (Public Shared ReadOnly Property F_JumpTopM) is the identifier you use to get the property value. The syntax of such call is EdConfig.F_JumpTopM (for typography-independent values) or EdConfig.F_JumpTopM(GetCurTyp) (for typography-dependent values).

3.The return type (String in Public Shared ReadOnly Property F_JumpTopM As String) is the return type of the property.

4.The returned name (Return GetDef("F_JumpTopM", "0")) is identifier of the <Item line in the EditorialConfig where the override is specified.

The name #3 appears in the lines in the EditorialConfig. For example:

    <Item Name="F_JumpTopM" Value="5pt" />

    <Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM" Value="10pt" />

    <Item Name="2122_F_JumpTopM" Value="20pt" />

The Name attribute in the <Item... line, defined under <Dict> node in the EditorialConfig could be:

1.A typography id followed by underscore, and then the name, as 1810_F_JumpTopM in the <Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM" Value="10pt" /> line. This example refers to the top jump frame margin for the typography with id = 1810. Other typographies may have different name.

2.A name alone, e.g. F_JumpTopM. as in the <Item Name="F_JumpTopM" Value="5pt" /> line. It is a value that is used for all typographies, except those who have a specific value, in the above example, typographies with ids 1810 and 2122.

The Value attribute is the value of that property, e.g. "10pt" as in <Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM" Value="10pt" />

5.Default value (Return GetDef("F_JumpTopM", "0")) it the value returned in case the related <Item does not exist in the EditorialConfig on your system.

Calling variables

The syntax of calls is, for example: msgbox(EdConfig.F_JumpTopM). Return value depends on the current typography id and the content of the EditorialConfig:

•If the current typography id is 1810 and the line <Item Name="F_JumpTopM"... or <Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM"... does not exist in the <Dict node in the EditorialConfig: it returns the default value as hard-coded in the property.

•If the current typography id is 1810 and the EditorialConfig contains the line:
<Item Name="F_JumpTopM" Value="9pt" />
but not the line:
<Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM" Value="10pt" />
it returns the string "9pt", or - in other words - the 'typography-independent' value. It is a good practice to specify always a 'typography-independent' value as well.

•If the current typography id is 1810 and the EditorialConfig contains the lines:
<Item Name="F_JumpTopM" Value="9pt" />
<Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM"Value="10pt" />
it returns the string "10pt", or - in other words - the 'typography-dependent' value for the specified typography.

•If the current typography id is 1811 and the EditorialConfig contains the lines:
<Item Name="F_JumpTopM" Value="9pt" />
<Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM"Value="10pt" />
it returns the string "9pt", or - in other words - the 'typography-independent' value.

•If the current typography id is 1811 and the EditorialConfig contains the line:
<Item Name="1810_F_JumpTopM"Value="10pt" />
but not the line:
<Item Name="F_JumpTopM" Value="9pt" />
it returns the default value as hard-coded in the property.

In this example, bodyname is used as a property name in Public Shared ReadOnly Property bodyname() As String and as a value name in Return GetDef("bodyname","body"). It is recommended to keep these names the same.

The GetDef function requires two parameters: the first one has to correspond to the Name attribute in the <Item... line, defined under <Dict> node in the EditorialConfig, and the second parameter is the default value - if the <Dict> node does not define that property, or if the <Dict> node does not exist on your system.

Public Shared ReadOnly Property bodyname() As String

  Get

    Return GetDef("bodyname","body")

  End Get

End Property

Through the Return GetDef("bodyname","body") line, the property returns the value from the related line in the EditorialConfig, or - if the line in the EditorialConfig is not found, or if <Dict> node is not found, then it returns the hard-coded default.

The property in the above example corresponds to the below line under <Dict> node in the EditorialConfig:

<Item Name="bodyname" Value="body" />

That line sets the value of the bodyname property. It means that, wherever you use bodyname in scripting, it's value will be "body".

Click to toggle expandOverriding variables in your EditorialConfig

See Adding or overriding variables in your EditorialConfig.
hmtoggle_plus1Using variables in add-ins

To use a global overridable variable in an add-in, simply call it with its name, as shown below in the example for the bodyname variable.

Dim typname As String = EdConfig.bodyname

Note: in PageDesignerAddIn class of Page.vb and TxtDesignerBase of Article.vb (that inherit EdConfig) you can call global overridable variables also without the EdConfig. prefix. In other add-ins you must add the prefix.
hmtoggle_plus1Syntax for <Dict> node entries in the EditorialConfig

<Item Name="bodyname" Value="testo" />

Every value goes in its own line. See below the "Properties values in Dict node of EditorialConfig" paragraph for some examples.

Specify all values as strings, no matter their type. The conversion to the appropriate type is performed by the As clause in the property script.

Enclose numbers in double quotes, e.g. "30000"
hmtoggle_plus1About Boolean values in <Dict> node

Every value goes in its own line. See below the "Properties values in Dict node of EditorialConfig" paragraph for some examples

For Boolean values, use "0" for False, and "-1" for True, or use "false" and "true" words.

For the reference, see Global Overridable Variables.