Low Variables Documentation

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Variable Types

Low Variables comes with over a dozen variable types. Each type has its own specific settings. You can select which types are available by (de)selecting them in the settings.

Checkbox

Displays a single checkbox with optional label. Its value is either y (checked) or blank (unchecked).

Label

  • Custom label added to a single checkbox.

    • Checkbox Group

    Displays multiple checkboxes, based on given options. Its value is a list of checked values, separated by the chosen separator.

    Options

  • A textarea field to list multiple options for selection. Put each option on a new line. Optionally use : (space colon space) to separate values and labels.

    • Separator

  • Character to separate multiple values. Either a new line (\n), a pipe (|) or a comma (,). If your values contain one of these characters, don’t use that as separator.

    • Date

    Displays a date picker. To output anything other than a timestamp, use the {exp:low_variables:single} tag. This takes the same parameters as the native Date field. Additionaly, use modifier="relative" to output a relative date string.

        
        {exp:low_variables:single var="my_var" format="%Y-%m-%d"}

        {exp:low_variables:single var="my_var" modifier="relative"}

    Grid

    Requires ExpressionEngine 2.7.0+. Uses the native Grid field. All native types are available, except for Relationships. To output the variable, use the {exp:low_variables:pair} or {exp:low_variables:single} tag where appropriate. You can use any of Grid’s parameters and variables using these tags. Additionally, one more parameter is available:

    modifier

  • Any of the available modifiers, which will trigger the ouput the modifier provides.

    • Examples

        
        {exp:low_variables:pair var="my_var"}
                <figure>
                    <img src="{my_var:image}">
                    <figcaption>Photo by {my_var:credit}</figcaption>
                </figure>
                {my_var:description}
        {/exp:low_variables:pair}
    

        
        {exp:low_variables:single var="my_var" modifier="total_rows"}

    Radio Group

    Displays multiple radio buttons, based on given options. Its value is the value of the checked item.

    Options

  • A textarea field to list multiple options for selection. Put each option on a new line. Optionally use : (space colon space) to separate values and labels.

    • Textarea (Rich Text)

    Requires ExpressionEngine 2.5.3+. Uses the native RTE module for displaying a Rich Text Editor. The height of the field can be set, as well as the text direction.

    Rows

  • Number of rows (height) of the textarea field.

    • Text direction

  • Left to Right or Right to Left.

    • Display wide field

  • If set to Yes, the field will be shown in full width.

    • Note: always use the Tag syntax to output the formatted content.

    Select

    Displays either a drop down list box or multiple list box, based on given options. Its value is either the single selected item or a list of selected items, separated by the chosen separator. You can also select an interface that is used for multiple selection.

    Options

  • A textarea field to list multiple options for selection. Put each option on a new line. Optionally use : (space colon space) to separate values and labels.

    • Multiple

  • Option to allow multiple items to be selected.

    • Separator

  • Character to separate multiple values. Either a new line (\n), a pipe (|) or a comma (,). If your values contain one of these characters, don’t use that as separator.

    • Interface

  • For multiple selections, you can choose different interfaces. Multiple Select element will show a regular select element. Drag and drop lists will show two lists of unselected and selected items. You can drag items across these lists and put them in a preferred order as well.

    • Select Categories

    Displays either a drop down list box or multiple list box of categories, based on the selected Category Groups. Its value is either the category id of the single selected item or a list of selected category ids, separated by the chosen separator. You can also select an interface that is used for multiple selection.

    Category groups

  • Limit selectable categories to these category groups.

    • Multiple

  • Option to allow multiple items to be selected.

    • Separator

  • Character to separate multiple values. Either a new line (\n), a pipe (|) or a comma (,). If your values contain one of these characters, don’t use that as separator.

    • Interface

  • For multiple selections, you can choose different interfaces. Multiple Select element will show a regular select element. Drag and drop lists will show two lists of unselected and selected items. You can drag items across these lists and put them in a preferred order as well.

    • Select Channels

    Displays either a drop down list box or multiple list box of weblogs/channels, based on the selected weblogs/channels. Its value is either the weblog/channel short name of the single selected item or a list of selected weblog/channel short names, separated by the chosen separator. You can also select an interface that is used for multiple selection.

    Select Channels

  • Limit selectable channels to these channels.

    • Multiple

  • Option to allow multiple items to be selected.

    • Separator

  • Character to separate multiple values. Either a new line (\n), a pipe (|) or a comma (,). If your values contain one of these characters, don’t use that as separator.

    • Interface

  • For multiple selections, you can choose different interfaces. Multiple Select element will show a regular select element. Drag and drop lists will show two lists of unselected and selected items. You can drag items across these lists and put them in a preferred order as well.

    • Select Entries

    Displays either a drop down list box or multiple list box of entries, based on filters by Future or Expired entries, Channels, Categories and Statuses. You can also set the order of the entries and limit them to a certain number. Its value is either the entry id of the single selected item or a list of selected entry ids, separated by the chosen separator. You can also select an interface that is used for multiple selection.

    Future entries

  • Adds future entries to the entry list.

    • Expired entries

  • Adds expired entries to the entry list.

    • Channels

  • Select which channels the entry list is filtered by.

    • Categories

  • Select which categories the entry list is filtered by.

    • Statuses

  • Select which statuses the entry list is filtered by.

    • Order by

  • Sort entry list either by Title or Entry date, in ascending or descending order.

    • Limit entries

  • Maximum number of entries to show in the entry list.

    • Multiple

  • Option to allow multiple items to be selected.

    • Separator

  • Character to separate multiple values. Either a new line (\n), a pipe (|) or a comma (,). If your values contain one of these characters, don’t use that as separator.

    • Interface

  • For multiple selections, you can choose different interfaces. Multiple Select element will show a regular select element. Drag and drop lists will show two lists of unselected and selected items. You can drag items across these lists and put them in a preferred order as well.

    • Select Files

    Displays either a drop down list box or multiple list box of files, based on the selected folders. Its value is either the full URL of the single selected file or a list of selected files, separated by the chosen separator. You can also optionally define an Upload Destination for new files. You can also select an interface that is used for multiple selection.

    Folders

  • Limit selectable files to these upload destinations.

    • Upload folders

  • Select target folder for new files, or set to No uploads to hide the upload form.

    • Multiple

  • Option to allow multiple items to be selected.

    • Separator

  • Character to separate multiple values. Either a new line (\n), a pipe (|) or a comma (,). If your values contain one of these characters, don’t use that as separator.

    • Interface

  • For multiple selections, you can choose different interfaces. Multiple Select element will show a regular select element. Drag and drop lists will show two lists of unselected and selected items. You can drag items across these lists and put them in a preferred order as well. Drag and drop lists with thumbnails will show a thumbnail for each image when available, and the field will be shown in full width.

    • When using the Tag syntax to display the variable, you can use additional parameters to further customize the output:

    manipulation (Parameter)

  • The short name of the Image Manipulation you want to output. Alternatively, you can use {var_name:manipulation} in the tag pair.

    • Code Examples

        
        {exp:low_variables:single var="lv_files_var" manipulation="squared"}
    

        
        {exp:low_variables:pair var="lv_files_var"}
            <img src="{lv_files_var:squared}" alt="">
        {/exp:low_variables:pair}

    Table

    Displays a table of simple input fields, based on the amount of columns given. You can add unlimited rows to the table. Remove rows by emptying its values. Use the {exp:low_variables:pair} tag to output the content.

    Columns

  • A pipe-delimited list of column names for the table, eg. 
    URL | Link text

    • Display wide field

  • If set to Yes, the field will be shown in full width.

    • When using the module tags to display the table variable, you can use additional parameters to further customize the output:

    Text Input

    Displays a single line edit input field. The maxlength property can be set as well as the size of the input fied. You can also define a regular expression pattern to validate the value, and the text direction of the input field.

    Maxlength

  • Maximum number of characters allowed in this input field.

    • Size

  • Width of the input field. Large, medium, small or x-small.

    • Pattern

  • Regular Expression used to validate the value of the variable.

    • Text direction

  • Left to Right or Right to Left.

    • Textarea

    Displays a multi-line edit input field (aka Textarea). The height of the field can be set, as well as the text direction. You can also choose to apply code formatting, which will result in a monospaced, light-on-dark version of the textarea. Textarea is the default variable type.

    Text direction

  • Left to Right or Right to Left.

    • Code formatting

  • If enabled, it will display the textarea as a monospaced, light-on-dark input field.

    • Display wide field

  • If set to Yes, the field will be shown in full width.

    • When using the module tags to display a Textarea variable, you can use additional parameters to further customize the output:

    Note: since version 3.3.0, existing snippets, config vars, segment vars and current time vars will be parsed in the variable content before it hits the template.

    formatting (Parameter)

  • Applies formatting to the variable content. You can use xhtml, br or any formatting plugin like textile. Defaults to none.

    • html (Parameter)

  • To be used in combination with format. Possible values: none, safe or all. Defaults to safe.

    • preparse:my_var (Parameter)

  • If the variable content contains variables that need to be parsed before it is put in the template, you can use this parameter, similar to embed variables. For example: setting the parameter preparse:foo="bar" will replace the variable {preparse:foo} with bar in the variable content.

    • preparse_prefix (Parameter)

  • See above, change the default variable prefix from preparse to something else. For example, the parameters preparse:foo="bar" preparse_prefix="lv" will replace the variable {lv:foo} with bar inside the variable content.

    • Examples

    {exp:low_variables:single var="my_var" formatting="xhtml" html="all"}
    {exp:low_variables:single var="my_var" preparse:entry_id="12"}

    Support

    Having problems setting up and/or using Low Variables? Support is offered from 10am to 4pm EST weekdays. Send us an email at help@eeharbor.com and we will respond as quickly as we can.