String variables created in load editor not working in frontend

[_ingo_]

Did Qlik Cloud change anything this last month regarding variables created in load editor which are used in frontend?

For example, variables created in load editor:

Let vFoobar = 'Foobar';
Let vName = 'John Doe';
Let vEmpty = '';

... are suddenly not working in frontend anymore:

Name: vFoobar
Definition: Foobar
Value: -

Name: vName
Definition: John Doe
Value: Error: Garbage after expression: 'Doe'

Name: vEmpty
Definition:
Value: Error: Invalid or Empty expression.

Before, value was identical to its definition for string variables. But now I get these errors. This new behavior is breaking my apps. Is no one else having this issue? I couldn't find any information about this in the community.

[lennart_mo]

Hi @_ingo_,

Try using Set instead of Let.

Let will evaluate the String while Set will just assign it. 

[_ingo_]

It was only an example. I know that for simple strings I could have used Set instead of Let. But even after using Set nothing changed. I still get the errors.

My apps that were working fine, aren't anymore. It looks like Qlik changed something when importing backend variables into the frontend.

[rwunderlich]

I think that's a  bug. Previously variables were only evaluated if the Definition started with "=". That's how client-managed works. I suggest contacting Qlik Support. 

-Rob

[lennart_mo]

Okay.

Where in the Frontend are you getting these errors? By your description I'd guess in the expression Editor? 

If so: Are you using the variables with or without the $-sign? I.e vName vs $(vName)

[_ingo_]

I'm seeing these errors in the "Variables" window. See attachment.

[rwunderlich]

I've done some testing and it appears that only the "Value" in the Variables window has changed. A reference to the variable in a measure like "$(vSales)" still pulls in the Definition -- not the value -- and it all works.

So not a bug, just a UI change?

-Rob

[_ingo_]

I have to dig deeper. I just know that my simple WriteBack solution, which sends variables via partial reload to the backend and then again back to the frontend, is not working properly anymore. I was assuming that this issue is behind it, but I'm not sure yet.

But still, this change, if intentional, was imo a bad decision. I would still expect to see the correct value of the variable (if it's not an expression) and not an ugly error message.

Thanks for the feedback and testing.

[rwunderlich]

I agree it's an unwelcome change. It changes the semantic meaning of "Value"..

"Value" was the value of the variable. The value I would expect to see if I referenced the variable as "=varname". Now "Value" in the Variable overview is something different. It's the evaluated result of the variable -- what I would expect to see if I referenced the variable as "=$(varname)".

The previous method made it very clear to quickly understand  the result of including "=" in he variable Def.

-Rob

[Qrishna]

it would yield the same results but i would rather do

Set vFoobar = 'Foobar';
Set vName = 'John Doe';
Set vEmpty = '';

OR

Let vFoobar = text('Foobar');
Let vName = text('John Doe');
Let vEmpty = chr(32);

as LET statement is used to evaluate an expression and assign the result to a variable. and SET statement is used to assign a string value directly to a variable without evaluating the expression on the right-hand side.