Implicit variables

Implicit variables are variables that you do not define. These variables are automatically provided by the scripting framework. Some implicit variables are valid only when associated with a declared variable while others are not associated with any other variables.

In addition to implicit variables, a Maximo® business object (MBO) is also available to every script. You refer to the current business object by using the mbo reserved word.

Implicit variables that are not associated with another variable are set into the script and you can refer to these variables directly by name. For example, app or mbo are not associated with other variables.

The variables in the following table are not associated with any other variable in use.

Table 1. Implicit variables that are not associated with other variables
Implicit variable	Type	Scope	Description
`action`	String	Action launch point	Indicates the name of the action that is generated from the action launch point.
`app`	String	All launch points	Indicates the name of the application that the script is running against. The `app` variable is passed to the script.
`domainid`	String	Use this variable only when the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event.	Specifies the domain that is used to provide the list of values that are shown for the attribute launch point.
`errorgroup`	String	All launch points	Selects the message group identifier that is defined in the Database Configuration application. The `errorgroup` variable is set in the script. Together with the `errorkey` variable, the `errorgroup` variable identifies an error message that is declared in the message repository.
`errorkey`	String	All launch points	Enables script authors to set an error message from the script into the business object. The script code selects the message key identifier that is defined in the Database Configuration application. The `errorkey` works with the `errorgroup` and the `params` implicit variables. The advantage of setting an error message from the messages repository is that translated messages are automatically picked up. The script code sets the error key that is configured in the Database Configuration application. The `errorkey` variable is set in the script.
`evalresult`	Boolean	Condition launch point	Set in the script. Workflow condition evaluation and security conditions scripts return true or false values.
`interactive`	Boolean	All launch points	Indicates whether the script is running in an active user session or a non-user background session, such as integration transaction processing.
`launchPoint`	String	All launch points	Indicates the name of the launch point for which the script is run.
`listErrorGroup`	String	Use this variable only when the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event. Specify the `listErrorGroup` and `listErrorKey` variables together and use the messages facility in the Database Configuration application to select the message that is stored in the MAXMESSAGES table.	Identifies the group ID of the message that the user sees when the retrieve list event fails.
`listErrorKey`	String	Use this variable only when the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event. Specify the `listErrorGroup` and `listErrorKey` variables together and use the messages facility in the Database Configuration application to select the message that is stored in the MAXMESSAGES table.	Identifies the key ID of the message that the user sees when the retrieve list event fails.
`listOrder`	String	Use this variable only when the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event.	Set to any ORDER BY attribute names that are used to order the results of the retrieve list event.
`listWhere`	String	Use this variable only when the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event.	Establishes which set of result data is displayed and which filter is set before the results are shown. Set the `listWhere` variable to a WHERE clause that uses the related MBO.
`mbo`	psdi.mbo.Mbo	All launch points	References the MBO that is being worked on.
`mboset`	psdi.mbo.MboSet	Object launch points of Allow Create type	References the MboSet that the new MBO will be added to.
`mboname`	String	All launch points	Indicates the name of the current MBO in the context of the script that is running.
`mbovalue`	psdi.security.UserInfo	All attribute launch point events	An instance of the MBO attribute for the attribute launch point.
`onadd`	Boolean	All launch points. Ideally used with object launch points where the script applies to multiple event types such as add, update, and delete.
`ondelete`	Boolean	All launch points	Indicates whether the business object that the script is running against is being deleted.
`onupdate`	Boolean	All launch points	Indicates whether the business object that the script is running against is being inserted or created. You can use the `onadd` variable to perform conditional actions or validations that are based on the state of the MBO.
`params`	String[]	All launch points	Holds the final resolved parameters to be applied to the error message that is posted from the script. The `params` implicit variable is an array. A message that is declared in the messages repository might have parameters that are defined. The contents of the message are fully resolved only at run time in the context of the script code. The `params` variable is used with the `errorgroup` variable and the `errorkey` variable to prepare the error message that is posted from the script code. The `params` variable is set in the script.
`relationObject`	String	Use this variable only when the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event. Typically used with the `srcKeys` and `targetKeys` implicit variables.	Applies to the related MBO that is searched from the current MBO.
`relationWhere`	String	Use this variable only when the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event. Typically used with the `srcKeys` and `targetKeys` implicit variables.	Establishes the criteria that are used to perform the retrieve list event. Set to a WHERE clause that queries the related MBO.
`scriptHome`	psdi.mbo.Mbo	Action launch point	References the MBO that is worked on. The preferred approach to implementing scripts is to use the `mbo` keyword in the script code.
`scriptName`	String	All launch points	Provides the name of the script that is running.
`service`	com.ibm.tivoli.maximo. script.ScriptService	All launch points	Added to a script by the scripting framework at run time.
`srcKeys`	String[]	When the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event	Applies to the set of attribute names from the current MBO that is used to look up a related record in another related or target MBO. For example, the set of attribute names from the current MBO might be used to look up that FAILURECODES field from the ASSET business object.
`thisvalue`	MBO attribute for the attribute launch point	Use this variable as the initial value and the initial access restriction for attribute launch points	Represents the current attribute. For example, `thisvalue="abc"` sets the current value to abc.
`targetKeys`	String[]	When the attribute launch point implements the retrieve list event	Applies to the set of attribute names in the target MBO that is looked up from the current MBO on which the attribute launch point is defined.
`user`	String	All launch points	Provides the user ID of the user who is logged in. The `user` variable is passed to the script and cannot be set in the code.
`userInfo`	psdi.security.UserInfo	All launch points	Provides the object for the current context.
`wfinstance`	psdi.workflow. WFInstance	Action launch point when the action is started from a workflow.	Indicates the workflow instance from which the current action was started.

Some implicit variables are valid only when they are associated with a variable that you declare. You use these implicit variables by typing the variable that you declared, an underscore, and then the implicit variable. For example, if a variable called siteid is specified for a script, the line of code siteid_readonly=True causes the associated siteid attribute of the business object to become read-only. This type of implicit variable is not available for variables that are bound to the MAXVAR, SYSPROP, or LITERAL binding types.

In the following table, var represents the name of the variable that you explicitly define in the Automation Scripts application. The implicit variable that is associated with the primary declared variable follows the underscore.

Table 2. Implicit variables that are used with a primary variable in automation scripts
Implicit variable	Type	Scope	Description
`var_hidden`	Boolean	All launch points	Retrieves or sets the hidden flag for the business object attribute. The script can modify the `var_hidden` variable if the primary variable is of an OUT or INOUT type.
`var_initial`	The same type as the MBO attribute that the variable binds to.	All launch points	Provides the initial value for an attribute that is retrieved from the MBO. The `var_initial` variable is passed to the script. The script cannot modify the `var_initial` variable.
`var_internal`	The same type as the MBO attribute that the variable binds to.	All launch points	Provides the internal value for a SYNONYMDOMAIN entry. If the primary variable is associated with an MBO attribute that is associated with a synonym domain, the `var_internal` implicit variable provides the corresponding internal value for the attribute. The `var_internal` variable is passed to the script. The script cannot modify the `var_internal` variable.
`var_modified`	Boolean	All launch points	Provides a flag that indicates whether the value for an attribute was modified. The `var_modified` variable is passed to the script. The script cannot modify the `var_modified` variable.
`var_previous`	The same type as the MBO attribute that the variable binds to.	Attribute launch points but only for the attribute that generated the event.	Provides the previous value for an attribute that is retrieved from the MBO. The `var_previous` variable is passed to the script. The script cannot modify the `var_previous` variable.
`var_readonly`	Boolean	All launch points	Retrieves or sets the read-only flag for a business object attribute. The script can modify `var_readonly` if the primary variable is of an OUT or INOUT type.
`var_required`	Boolean	All launch points	Retrieves or sets the required flag for a business object attribute. The script can modify `var_required` if the primary variable is of an OUT or INOUT type.