MTS Fracture Analyzer - Manual (Page 73)

7.4.3.0 Creating a New Variable
1. Click the New Variable button.
The New Variable window prompts you to type a unique identifier for the new variable. The identifier can
contain only alphabetical and numerical characters, ‘-’ and ‘_’. The name must not begin with a number.
The identifier cannot contain spaces, periods, and other special characters.
2. Click OK.
The properties of the variable are specified in the Variable Details panel.
7.4.4.0 Deleting a Variable
You can delete any variables that you create. You cannot delete read-only variables, which include variables
in the System and Specimen categories.
1. On the Explorer tab, click Variables.
2. Click Update Used By to update the column in the table that shows if the variable is in use in the test.
If you delete a variable that is in use, validation errors occur in the test where the deleted variable is
referenced. You must resolve validation errors before you can create a new test run.
Note:
Note the Used By information before you delete a variable. When you delete a variable, you also
delete the Used By information, which can be useful in resolving validation errors.
3. Select the variable in the table, and then click Delete Variable.
4. If you delete a variable that is in use, you are asked to confirm that you want to delete the variable. To
remove the variable from the table, click Yes.
Deleted variables are not fully deleted from the test until you save the test.
7.4.5.0 Variable Used By
The Used By table column on the Variables tab and window indicates if and where a variable is used in the
application. This column also shows any views in the application that use the variable. The table does not
automatically show the Used By column until you click Update Used By. You can add the column using
Column Chooser, but all entries are set to Unknown. Click Update Used By to update the column content.
The Used By function is helpful if you:
• Edit a variable used by more than one process. If a variable is used by multiple processes, you may want
to create a new variable, rather than edit a variable and impact all of its uses.
• Troubleshoot a complex test definition or when you plan to delete or replace a variable definition. If you
delete a variable that is in use, validation errors occur in the test where the deleted variable is referenced.
After you update the Used By information, click the drop-down button for the entry in the Used By column.
The display lists the location where the variable is active. If the variable is defined but unused, the table entry
is Not Used.
MTS TestSuite™ Fracture Analyzer User Guide 73
7.0 Variable Analysis