Infor LN Process Variables: Meaning, Setting and Inspecting

How to inspect and set process variables

1. 1Identify what you need: an operating system environment variable seen by bshell (such as BSE) or a variable inside a running session's 4GL code.
2. 2For environment values, check the bshell start-up configuration and the user's shell or service environment on the application server.
3. 3For in-session values, add a debug print or use the 4GL debugger to view the variable in the process you are testing.
4. 4To read a variable from another process in code, use the documented get.var call with the process id and variable name.
5. 5To change a variable in a running process from code, use put.var, and restrict this to tooling or approved customisations.
6. 6Test in a development environment, then document the variable, its owner and its default.

Reading and setting from code

| Illustrative 4GL sketch: confirm exact signatures in your tools documentation
long rc
string val(100)
rc = get.var(pid, "some.variable", val)

Common pitfalls

• !Depending on internal variable names that change between versions.
• !Changing variables in a running process from production code without testing.
• !Assuming a user's shell environment equals the service environment bshell actually runs under.
• !Editing environment settings on one server and forgetting the others in the cluster.