BookVars File

The BookVars file is an INI-format file that lets you define one or more variable groups. The variable definitions in these groups can be imported into all of the files in a book using the Import Variables command. The BookVars file is named <bookname>-BookVars.INI (where <bookname> is the name of the book file without the extension).

You can create the BookVars file manually, or you can use the Generate BookVars File command to create one based on the existing variables in one of the files in the book. For a quick overview of the BookVars file, see Set up a simple BookVars file (one group, three variable definitions).

The BookVars file has two required sections (General and Groups) and one or more user-definable sections to define variable groups. The General section has 6 valid parameters.

[General] 
AltBookVarsFile= 
DeleteVarCode= 
RenameVarChar= 
ReplaceVarChar= 
UpdateMarkerVars=0 
EditorType=0 
NoLog=0

The BookVars file can point to an alternate location for the group and variable lists. This can be helpful if you are working with a group of people and you want to be able to maintain the variable definitions in one location. Just set the AltBookVarsFile parameter to point to the common network location for the BookVars file, and all of your books will pull the variable definitions from the same list. For an example of referencing an alternate file, see Reference a common BookVars file.

Note: You must use the front slash as a directory separator with the AltBookVarsFile parameter. For more information, see Known Limitations.

The Groups section has a Count parameter and one or more sequentially numbered parameters. The Count parameter specifies the number of numbered parameters. The numbered parameters specify individual variable groups.

[Groups] 
Count=2 
1=Group1 
2=Group2

BookVars provides the ability to merge multiple groups (perhaps to define one or more groups as shared or common). By creating a new section named "<groupname>:MERGE", when you import the <groupname> group, it will first load the groups defined in the "merge" section. For an example of merging groups, see Set up a shared group that is included in two other groups.

[Group1:MERGE] 
Count=2 
1=CommonGroup1 
2=CommonGroup2