Defining variables for your workflow

Using Velocity templates for variable substitution and other functions
The z/OSMF symbol replacement mechanism uses the open source Velocity engine created by the Apache Velocity Project. Though the Velocity engine can be used for simple string replacement, it also contains conditional directives that allow you to generate different strings, based on the presence or value of any variable that is referenced by the step. The type of the variable, as defined in the XML, is passed in to the Velocity engine so that the expected behavior is preserved, except for time and date, which are passed in as strings.

Specifying the variable element and its attributes
This topic describes the element that defines a variable.

Sub-elements of the variable element
This topic describes the sub-elements and types that make up a variable definition.

Using the element atCreate to qualify a variable definition
This topic describes the element atCreate (<atCreate>). For users of the Create Workflow REST service, the atCreate element provides additional options for working with variables.

How to refer to a variable

Providing a workflow variable input file
This topic describes the format of the editable properties file that is called the workflow variable input file. With this file, you can supply preset values for the variables that you use in your workflow definition file. By including a variable input file with your workflow definition file, you save users from having to manually enter values for some or all of the variables in your workflow.