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Status Planned for future release
Workspace IBM Engineering - Workflow Management
Categories Enterprise Extensions
Created by Guest
Created on Mar 20, 2026

RELATED IDEAS

Request to document the usage of variable reference syntax `@{var.<index>.<variable_name>}`

EWM supports a variable reference mechanism that allows the pattern: `@{var.<index>.<variable_name>}`

Where:
- `<index>` - A numeric index (e.g., 1, 2, 3) that identifies which translator in the language definition the variable belongs to
- `<variable_name>` - The name of the variable being referenced

However this mechanism is not documented.

For example, such variable can be used to define 1 translator to compile multiple COBOL versions like v6.2 or newer versions.
Multiple TASKLIB datasets for SIGYCOMP v6.2, 6.3, 6.5 and added to the translator concatenation with conditions like  <equals arg1="${COBOLVERSION}" arg2="62"/> or <istrue value="${isV62Compiler}"/>. 
COBOLVERSION or isV62Compiler are defined as translator variables (i.e COBOLVERSION=62 or isV62Compiler=true)
and on the language definition as COBOLVERSION = @{var.1.COBOLVERSION} or isV62Compiler = @{var.1.isV62Compiler}. 
The numeric index (e.g., `1` in `@{var.1.COBOLVERSION}`) indicates:
- **Position reference**: Refers to the first translator in the language definition
- **Multiple translators**: If a language definition has multiple translators, use `@{var.2.VARIABLE}` for the second translator, `@{var.3.VARIABLE}` for the third, etc.

 

Idea priority Low
Needed By Not sure -- Just thought it was cool
  • Post comment
  • Guest
    Apr 23, 2026
    The EWM Ideas Review board looked at this request and decided to keep it on the Backlog as an uncommitted candidate for a future release.
    Reply

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