The mgiGet Tag
Tag Behavior
Use the mgiGet tag to display the value of a page or site
variable (see also mgiSet). Variables
are containers for text, numbers, calculations, results, etc.
that can be used after they are created (i.e., set) throughout
a single page (page variables) or throughout an entire web site
(site variables).
Tag Syntax
The mgiGet tag has one required parameter and seven optional
parameters. The tag form is:
<mgiGet name="Name" scope="Page/Site" defaultValue="Text"
mode="Function" delimiter="String" odbcDatasource="Source Name"
odbcUsername="Name" odbcPassword="Password">
Required Parameters:
- name - The name is the name of the variable to display.
Variable names are unique within a scope. If
you include the mode parameter, the name parameter is not required.
Optional Parameters:
- scope - The scope is the type of variable to display.
"Page" variables are available to display from
the location they are set on a page to the end of the page. "Site"
variables are available to display after they are set on any
page in a web site. The default scope is "Page".
- defaultValue - The defaultValue is the text that displays
if the variable is not found or if the variable is blank. If
a default value is not specified, an empty string (blank) is
displayed.
- mode - The mode is the function that the mgiGet tag
performs. In "returnAllNames" mode, the names
of all variables from the specified scope are displayed. In "returnAllValues"
mode, the values of all variables from the specified scope are
displayed. In "returnAll" mode, the names and
values of all variables from the specified scope are displayed
in the format below. If you include the
mode parameter, the name parameter is not required.
- Name1: Value1
- Name2: Value2
- Name3: Value3
- NameX: ValueX
- delimiter - The delimiter is the character (e.g.,
"_", tabs, etc.) that is used to separate the names
and values in returnAllNames, returnAllValues, and returnAll
modes. The default delimiter for the "returnAllNames"
and "returnAllValues" modes is a comma . The default
delimiter for the "returnAll" mode is a carriage return
and line feed (CRLF). In order to use special reserved characters
such as tabs and backslashes as delimiters, you must use the
appropriate Escaped String format.
- odbcDatasource (NT only) - The odbcDatasource is the name of
datasource on the server that provides access information for
an external ODBC database. If the odbcDatasource parameter is
included, site variable information will be stored in the specified
ODBC database rather than the internal MGI database. Inquire
with the server administrator for additional information about
the use of ODBC databases. If you include
the odbcDatasource parameter, the odbcUsername and odbcPassword
parameters are required.
- odbcUsername (NT only) - The odbcUsername is the username required
to access the ODBC datasource. The odbcUsername
parameter is required if you include the odbcDatasource parameter.
- odbcPassword (NT only) - The odbcPassword is the code required
to access the ODBC datasource. The odbcPassword
parameter is required if you include the odbcDatasource parameter.
Example Usage and Output
Page Variable
<mgiSet name="QuizScore">
<mgiMath resultPrecision="1">
<mgiPostArgument name="Question1">
+<mgiPostArgument name="Question2">
+<mgiPostArgument name="Question3">
+<mgiPostArgument name="Question4">
</mgiMath>
</mgiSet>
Your quiz score is <mgiGet name="QuizScore">
Variables are so versatile that you could use them in combination
with almost any other MGI tag. In this example, a student answers
a simple 4 question quiz in a form. The result of a quiz score
is calculated and set in a page variable. The mgiGet tag is then
used to display the quiz score from the page variable to the
student.
Site Variable
Now serving <mgiGet name="Subscribers" scope="Site">
Subscribers! Join us today!
Once they are set, site variables can be displayed on any
page in a site. In this example, the number of subscribers to
an online service is update during each subscription and set
in a site variable named "Subscribers". This information
is then available to display anywhere on the site using mgiGet
and the scope parameter.
Modes
<mgiLoop itemList={mgiGet mode="returnAllValues"}>
<mgiSendMail to="&mgiLoopIndex;" from="sales@domain.com"
subject="Sale" mailserver="mail.domain.com">
Dear Customer,
Shop our store during the month of October
and save 10% off all new fall merchandise!
</mgiSendMail>
</mgiLoop>
In returnAllNames and returnAllValues mode, you can easily
create a loop to perform a function on each name or value. In
this example, a list of email addresses have each been set in
a variable after a search. The comma-delimited list of variable
values is then embedded in a loop that emails a form letter to
each address.
<mgiGet mode="returnAll" scope="Site">
In returnAll mode, the variable names and values are formatted
with colons in a list. This feature is useful for debugging purposes
because you can display a comprehensive list of variables rather
than listing an mgiGet tag for each variable. In this example,
the site variables would display in this format:
Header: Fall is here. See our selection of
winterizing products.
Phone: 667-223-4567
Version: 2.4
Suggested Usage
- Storage of Information
- Combining Information from Multiple Sources (Post Arguments,
Path Arguments, Variables, etc.)
- Embedding
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