User Variables

You can also use user variables within an input, with a distinction being made between numeric variables and alphanumeric variables or text variables. When you start the program, these variables are not defined.

Numeric variables
Numeric variables are preferably used in arithmetic expressions and identified by the symbolic names A,B, ...Y, Annn, Bnnn...Ynnn. nnn is a numerical sequence consisting of up to 3 digits. Relevant lower-case letters can also be used to identify the variables. Point variables P0,...,P9 and line variables L0,...,L9 have a special significance, as it is via them that the points and graphical elements are saved and reused.
Numeric variables can be assigned an arithmetic expression, which can also contain variables.

Alphanumeric variables/Text variables
Alphanumeric variables or text variables can be used for annotation texts and names of points, parts etc. These variables are identified by the symbolic names $A to $Z. The corresponding lower-case letters can also be used to identify the variables. Alphanumeric and text variables can be assigned a string of up to 60 printable ASCII characters.

There are various ways of assigning the user-specific variables:

Using the Variables Memory
Direct Request from the Formula Interpreter

Using the Variables Memory

Information > 3-D, Further > Variables

You activate the functions for defining and processing variables by clicking the Information tab and activating the Variables pop-up menu. The following functions are available here:

	Display variables memory	Displays the content of the entire variables memory, i.e. all system and user variables.
	Clicking opens a pull-down menu with the following functions:
	Set numeric variable	Defines or changes a numeric variable. Enter the name of the variable and then the desired value. Click OK or ENTER to confirm your entry. Press ABORT or the right mouse button to end the variable assignment.
	Set string variable	Defines or changes a string variable. Enter the name of the variable and then the desired value. Click OK or ENTER to confirm your entry. Press ABORT or the right mouse button to end the variable assignment.
	Set point variable	Defines or changes a point variable. Enter the identification number (0 to 9) and specify the point.
	Set line variable	Defines or changes a line variable. Enter the identification number (0 to 9) and specify the graphic element.
	Delete variables	Deletes all user-defined variables from the variables memory

Direct request by Formula Interpreter

If, in an input, you have used variables to which no value has yet been assigned in the variables memory, the HiCAD Formula Interpreter automatically asks for a value for this variable when processing the input. In this case, however, you can only assign a constant value to the variable. This assignment is preserved until the variable is assigned a new value in the variables memory or the variable is deleted.