Variables

Introduction

The Variables tab displays the variables for the currently-selected element, instance, or behavior. The variables tab displays the effective value of all variables for the selected object and provides controls for changing these variables.

Variables for the ExitButton instance

Filtering Variables

An element can have more variables than fit on screen, so a filter box sits above the variable list. Type in it and the tab shows only the variables whose name contains what you typed. Matching ignores capitalization, so typing vis finds Visible.

Matching variables stay inside their own categories, which means a filter also shows you where a variable lives. Categories holding no matches hide while you are filtering, and clearing the filter restores every category, including which ones you had expanded.

Press Ctrl+E from anywhere in Gum to bring the Variables tab forward and put the cursor in the filter box. Press Escape to clear the filter and move focus back to the variable list, or click the X button at the right of the box.

Default and Explicitly Set Values

Gum helps you visualize which variables are explicitly set at the current selection level. If a variable is not explicitly set, then it inherits the value from the next level down.

Standard elements explicitly set their values on their Default state, which means all values have a white background. The following image shows default values for the ColoredRectangle standard element.

All values explicitly set on a a ColoredRectangle

By contrast, if a ColoredRectangle is dropped into a Screen or Component, this creates an instance. Most of its variables on the instance are not explicitly set so they show up with a green background. For example, the ColoredRectangleInstance in the following image has its Width and Height variables set to 50. This is the default value for Width and Height obtained from the ColoredRectangle standard element.

Most variables are not explicitly set, so they have a green background

If a variable is set, then its value is updated and its background changes from green to white. Notice that variables can be set by typing in values, clicking on icons, dragging over the labels, or changing the value in the editor tab.

Setting values changes the background from green to white

Setting Variables to Default

A changed variable can be restored to default.

Any change can be undone with the CTRL+Z key combination if the variable was previously set to its default value. The undo history can be viewed in the History tab which updates as changes are made or as undo's are applied.

If a variable was previously its default value, an undo restores the default value

Variables can be set to default by right-clicking on the variable in the Variables tab and selecting the Make Default option.

Make Default right click option restores a variable to its default value