I would like to add attributes to a flag (eg colours) based on some criteria (if). I figured that flags are lists, but I cannot figure out how to replace an item on a list.
For example this code: if {$priority="Must-have"}{$Flags="orange"} if {$Target_platform.contains("OPUS")}{$Flags=$Flags+"-white"} if {$Target_platform.contains("MAGNUM")}{$Flags=$Flags+"-green"}
will just add to the list, while I want to just add to the first string on the $Flags list
The workaround has been to create a temp variable and then replace the $Flags with that, but I’m sure there’s a better way.
if {$priority="must-have"}{$temp="orange"} if {$Target_platform.contains("OPUS")}{$temp=$temp+"-blue"} if {$Target_platform.contains("MAGNUM")}{$temp=$temp+"-green"} $Flags=$temp
I couldn’t find in aTbRef (I’m sure it’s in there somewhere) information on how to manipulate lists.
Lists are described here. Lists hold their order (good for this scenario) but adding to a list generally means adding to the of the list (not so helpful). You might think to try this:
$Flags = "orange" ; // a 1 item list
$Flags = "blue" + $Flags; // 1 item but value "blueorange"
Why. Well we’re taking a string ‘blue’ and adding textual data to it (even if the latter is a list). So Tinderbox figures, I’m adding to a string, not pre-pending to a list!
So, we need to tell the Tinderbox parser that the new item #1 is itself a (single-value) List. That involves the newer [] list declaration method†‡. So:
$Flags = [blue] + $Flags;
Note, using the [] method quotes are not needed (the square braces signal purpose/type).
Thus your code becomes:
if {$priority="Must-have"}{$Flags="orange"};
if {$Target_platform.contains("OPUS")}{$Flags=[white]+$Flags};
if {$Target_platform.contains("MAGNUM")}{$Flags=[green]+$Flags};
†. I just added info on using the [] method in this context onto the aTbRef page on List-type (link above).
‡. Indeed, from v9.6.0—due imminently—the [ ] list declaration supersedes the older method of simply putting quotes around a semi-coon limited list. Both continue to work, but the [ ] methods is less ambiguous to the parser as to the type of info being added. Indeed, in the above scenario it is the only method of the two that works.