Using variables in Xpath

For an xml data source, if you want to extract a book based on the book id, you can do so by creating a number global variable called $bookid and referring it in the xpath in the sample code below. The variable $bookid can also be manipulated in the script.

<library>
  <book1>
    <title>The Great Gatsby</title>
    <author>F. Scott Fitzgerald</author>
  </book1>
  <book2>
    <title>To Kill a Mockingbird</title>
    <author>Harper Lee</author>
  </book2>
  <book3>
    <title>1984</title>
    <author>George Orwell</author>
  </book3>
</library>

Repeating sections

Variables and scripts can be used with repeating sections along with conditions. Each content control in a repeating section can be subject to different conditions or calculations. This allows different use cases such as accumulating a running sum and display the total in the end. Or specify certain conditions, so if the xpath value match those condition you can display a different value or hide the value or use a different font for example.

Local variables

You can also define a local variable inside the Scripting tab. This local Variable is just a helper variable used in the scope of the script but lost afterwards. Local variables must be declared with the dataType $VariableName; otherwise an error is displayed. The local variable can be declared and it’s value assigned later but just be careful not to use a local variable without assigning a value as there is no syntax check currently.