About custom tools keywords and filters

The commands and parameters used with a custom tool may include variable information which is supplied by the desktop client at the time the tool is invoked. This can consist of two components, a keyword, which returns some value or name of an object in the desktop client, and optionally, a filter keyword, which specifies some part of this information.

Use the right arrow button side_button.gif next to the fields in the Tools tab to select valid entries and inserts the correct syntax.

A keyword is specified by preceding it with the dollar sign ($) and optionally a filter keyword, and enclosing it in "(" and ")" brackets.

For example:

'$Dir(projectRootFolder)'

returns the drive portion of the project/stream root directory

'$(projectRootFolder)'

returns the path of the project/stream root directory.

If the keyword is a column or set of columns, you specify it by enclosing it in square brackets "[ ]" and separating the column names with commas.

For example:

'$[Description,Status]'

returns the values from the Description and Status columns for each row in an Item view.

The keywords and filter names are case-sensitive (but not column names). If a keyword cannot be evaluated, or is inapplicable at the time the tool is invoked, it evaluates to null (""). Some keywords only apply when a particular view is open in the desktop client. For example, the projectFolder keyword can be evaluated only from a project/stream structure view.

Back to top

See also: