Dynamic Variable Names - Syntax?

[Ken Halley]

How does one refer to a variable name using a variable within a variable
name??? For example, I want to perform a SQL query and use the results of
the query to determine which variable to assign a value to. Let's say I've
dimmed 12 variables based on the months called "featured_x_pro duct" where x
is the month. I'd like to refer to the variable with something
like: featured_" & R("month") & "_product where R("month") is the from the
current row in the db. I don't know the correct syntax or method for doing
so. A full example is provided below. Thanks in advance for you help!

dim featured_jan_pr oduct
dim featured_feb_pr oduct
dim featured_mar_pr oduct
dim featured_apr_pr oduct
....

SELECT status, month from products where year='2004' AND
page='featured_ products'

While not R.EOF
If R("status") = "sold" Then
featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Sold Out!" // (choose the
variable based on the "month" value in the current row)
Else
featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Buy Now!"
End If
R.MoveNext
Wend

[Aaron Bertrand - MVP]

Re: Dynamic Variable Names - Syntax?

Take a look at eval and exec in the VBScript documentation.



"Ken Halley" <ken@alpacanati on.com> wrote in message
news:ORf0fDKpDH A.2592@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> How does one refer to a variable name using a variable within a variable
> name??? For example, I want to perform a SQL query and use the results of
> the query to determine which variable to assign a value to. Let's say[/color]
I've[color=blue]
> dimmed 12 variables based on the months called "featured_x_pro duct" where[/color]
x[color=blue]
> is the month. I'd like to refer to the variable with something
> like: featured_" & R("month") & "_product where R("month") is the from the
> current row in the db. I don't know the correct syntax or method for[/color]
doing[color=blue]
> so. A full example is provided below. Thanks in advance for you help!
>
> dim featured_jan_pr oduct
> dim featured_feb_pr oduct
> dim featured_mar_pr oduct
> dim featured_apr_pr oduct
> ...
>
> SELECT status, month from products where year='2004' AND
> page='featured_ products'
>
> While not R.EOF
> If R("status") = "sold" Then
> featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Sold Out!" // (choose the
> variable based on the "month" value in the current row)
> Else
> featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Buy Now!"
> End If
> R.MoveNext
> Wend
>
>
>
>[/color]

[Ray at]

Re: Dynamic Variable Names - Syntax?

You can use the Eval function to do this, but I suggest not using Eval. It
makes for the most confusing and sloppy code you'll ever see.

How about using an array?

Dim featured_produc ts(11) ''vbscrip arrays are zero based

If your storing your months in your database as "jan", "feb", "mar", and so
on, you'll have to deal with them with a select Case or some other thing.
Or, use a dictionary object or something. Let's try with a dictionary
object first.

Dim oDict
oDict.Add "jan", 0
oDict.Add "feb", 1
oDict.Add "mar", 2
oDict.Add "apr", 3
oDict.Add "may", 4
oDict.Add "jun", 5
oDict.Add "jul", 6
oDict.Add "aug", 7
oDict.Add "sep", 8
oDict.Add "oct", 9
oDict.Add "nov", 10
oDict.Add "dec", 11


While Not r.EOF
If r("status") = "sold" Then
featured_produc ts(oDict(r("mon th"))) = "Sold out"
Else
''''etc.


My mind has been sleeping all week, so if this makes no sense or if I make
no sense, accept my apologies.

Ray at work





"Ken Halley" <ken@alpacanati on.com> wrote in message
news:ORf0fDKpDH A.2592@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> How does one refer to a variable name using a variable within a variable
> name??? For example, I want to perform a SQL query and use the results of
> the query to determine which variable to assign a value to. Let's say[/color]
I've[color=blue]
> dimmed 12 variables based on the months called "featured_x_pro duct" where[/color]
x[color=blue]
> is the month. I'd like to refer to the variable with something
> like: featured_" & R("month") & "_product where R("month") is the from the
> current row in the db. I don't know the correct syntax or method for[/color]
doing[color=blue]
> so. A full example is provided below. Thanks in advance for you help!
>
> dim featured_jan_pr oduct
> dim featured_feb_pr oduct
> dim featured_mar_pr oduct
> dim featured_apr_pr oduct
> ...
>
> SELECT status, month from products where year='2004' AND
> page='featured_ products'
>
> While not R.EOF
> If R("status") = "sold" Then
> featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Sold Out!" // (choose the
> variable based on the "month" value in the current row)
> Else
> featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Buy Now!"
> End If
> R.MoveNext
> Wend
>
>
>
>[/color]

[Ken Halley]

Re: Dynamic Variable Names - Syntax?

Thanks Ray. The situation is a little more complicated than my example in
that I have two pieces of the variable name that I want to make dynamic, the
month and the category (see below). So the single array idea doesn't solve
it. Any other thoughts?

The variable format is: category_month_ color

R("category") & "_" & R("month") & "_color = "#0000FF"



"Ray at <%=sLocation% >" <myfirstname at lane34 dot com> wrote in message
news:Oj52iMKpDH A.2584@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> You can use the Eval function to do this, but I suggest not using Eval.[/color]
It[color=blue]
> makes for the most confusing and sloppy code you'll ever see.
>
> How about using an array?
>
> Dim featured_produc ts(11) ''vbscrip arrays are zero based
>
> If your storing your months in your database as "jan", "feb", "mar", and[/color]
so[color=blue]
> on, you'll have to deal with them with a select Case or some other thing.
> Or, use a dictionary object or something. Let's try with a dictionary
> object first.
>
> Dim oDict
> oDict.Add "jan", 0
> oDict.Add "feb", 1
> oDict.Add "mar", 2
> oDict.Add "apr", 3
> oDict.Add "may", 4
> oDict.Add "jun", 5
> oDict.Add "jul", 6
> oDict.Add "aug", 7
> oDict.Add "sep", 8
> oDict.Add "oct", 9
> oDict.Add "nov", 10
> oDict.Add "dec", 11
>
>
> While Not r.EOF
> If r("status") = "sold" Then
> featured_produc ts(oDict(r("mon th"))) = "Sold out"
> Else
> ''''etc.
>
>
> My mind has been sleeping all week, so if this makes no sense or if I make
> no sense, accept my apologies.
>
> Ray at work
>
>
>
>
>
> "Ken Halley" <ken@alpacanati on.com> wrote in message
> news:ORf0fDKpDH A.2592@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...[color=green]
> > How does one refer to a variable name using a variable within a variable
> > name??? For example, I want to perform a SQL query and use the results[/color][/color]
of[color=blue][color=green]
> > the query to determine which variable to assign a value to. Let's say[/color]
> I've[color=green]
> > dimmed 12 variables based on the months called "featured_x_pro duct"[/color][/color]
where[color=blue]
> x[color=green]
> > is the month. I'd like to refer to the variable with something
> > like: featured_" & R("month") & "_product where R("month") is the from[/color][/color]
the[color=blue][color=green]
> > current row in the db. I don't know the correct syntax or method for[/color]
> doing[color=green]
> > so. A full example is provided below. Thanks in advance for you help!
> >
> > dim featured_jan_pr oduct
> > dim featured_feb_pr oduct
> > dim featured_mar_pr oduct
> > dim featured_apr_pr oduct
> > ...
> >
> > SELECT status, month from products where year='2004' AND
> > page='featured_ products'
> >
> > While not R.EOF
> > If R("status") = "sold" Then
> > featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Sold Out!" // (choose[/color][/color]
the[color=blue][color=green]
> > variable based on the "month" value in the current row)
> > Else
> > featured_" & R("month") & "_product = "Buy Now!"
> > End If
> > R.MoveNext
> > Wend
> >
> >
> >
> >[/color]
>
>[/color]

[Aaron Bertrand - MVP]

Re: Dynamic Variable Names - Syntax?

> month and the category (see below). So the single array idea doesn't
solve[color=blue]
> it. Any other thoughts?[/color]

Uh, a two dimensional array?

dim arrayName(<<<?> >>, 2)
arrayName(0, 0) = R("category")
arrayName(0, 1) = R("month")
arrayName(0, 2) = "#0000FF"

Dictionary objects can also hold complex types like arrays or even other
dictionary objects. I really think others are on the right track when they
suggest staying away from eval/exec... I just offered it as a possible
alternative.

[Ray at]

Re: Dynamic Variable Names - Syntax?

I strongly suggest you find another approach that involves arrays or
something else. If you write a page that is laden with Evals and Execs,
it's going to be impossible to understand a week later when you look at it.
This is just my opinion.

Ray at home

"Ken Halley" <ken@alpacanati on.com> wrote in message
news:OP1fNhNpDH A.688@TK2MSFTNG P10.phx.gbl...[color=blue]
> Thanks Ray. The situation is a little more complicated than my example in
> that I have two pieces of the variable name that I want to make dynamic,[/color]
the[color=blue]
> month and the category (see below). So the single array idea doesn't[/color]
solve[color=blue]
> it. Any other thoughts?
>
> The variable format is: category_month_ color
>
> R("category") & "_" & R("month") & "_color = "#0000FF"
>[/color]