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System objects

Using system objects

System objects can be used to access information, data and objects within the templates. This is useful, for example, in the generation and creation of a preview. Such information can be, for example, the starting time of the generation, the ID of the section or the page or the language currently being generated.

System objects are always context-dependent. Several system objects are available in all contexts, others in a specific context only.

Expressions can be applied to system objects.

The return value of a system object is an object or a data type (cf. Data types).

In general system objects can be read-accessed only. However, there are several methods which can also modify system objects or can affect the system performance. These include, e.g. the suppression of generation of a page in a page template (#global.stopGenerate).

Using system objects

The following table gives an overview of the contexts in which a specific system object is available and what it can be used for:

System object	Availability	Purpose/intended uses
#cell	Within a table cell: Format template with the abbreviation td CELL parameter in the function Table	- Determination of the column number of a cell - Determination of the row number of a cell - Output of attribute values of a column - Alignment of the text of a cell - Merging of several cells etc.
#content	Within format templates	- Output of the content of a Dom Editor section - Output of a table cell - Definition of a Table function
#cs	Within templates used in a content projection	- Decision whether the data record to be output is the first - Decision whether the data record to be output is the last - Determination which data record is currently being output
#docGroup	Within templates used in a document group	- Determination of child nodes of a document group - Determination of the depth of a node within the document group - Determination whether a node is of type "Menu level" or "Page reference"
#docNode	Within templates used in a document group	Determination of an element (e.g. a page reference) from the document group during the generation of the document group
#field	Within parameter specifications of definitions of FS_BUTTONin forms	Determination of content of and information about FS_BUTTON in a form and processing for example in scripts
#for	Within a $CMS_FOR(...)$ instruction	- Decision whether the element to be output is the first - Decision whether the element to be output is the last - Determination which element is currently being output
#form	Within rule definitions of dynamic forms	Controlling the visibility of the design elements CMS_GROUP and CMS_LABEL in a form
#global	In all templates	- Determination of preview-related, project-related, page-related information. - Determination of meta information - Determination of information on multiple pages
#index	Within a section template which is used in the CMS_INPUT_CONTENTAREALIST input component	- Determination of which section is currently being output
#item	Within FS_DATASET FS_LIST multi-value input components which include content via CMS_INCLUDE_OPTIONS	Accessing values of input components
#list	Within lists: Format template with the abbreviation ul Format template with the abbreviation li	- Determination of the selected list display type - Determination of the number of list elements - Determination of the starting point of the list - Determination of the last list point
#listitem	Within a list entry: Format template with the abbreviation li	- Determination of the position of the current list element - Determination of the lettering of the current list element
#mathContext	in all templates	- Determination of the number of decimal places in case of divisions - Determination of the rounding mode
#nav	In the functions: MenuGroup Navigation PageGroup	- Output of the menu name - Determination of the URL - Output of the comment field etc.
#row	Within table templates used in a data source based section	- Determination of the last editor - Determination of the change date - Output of attributes (contents of columns)
#sectionList	Within a section template which is used in the CMS_INPUT_CONTENTAREALIST input component	- Determination whether the rendered section is located in a CMS_INPUT_CONTENTAREALIST or not - The number of sections entered in a CMS_INPUT_CONTENTAREALIST
#startdate	In all templates	- Output of the time of the last project change at the time of generation
#style	in the format templates for table rows and cells (tag "tr" and "td") and style templates	- Use of values of the style template of inline tables in the standard format templates for tables
#table	Within tables: Format templates with the abbreviations table, tr and td in the function Table	- Determination of the number of rows in a table - Determination of the number of columns in a table - Number of the last row in a table - Number of the last column in a table - Determination of the table format template
#tr	Within tables: Format templates with the abbreviation tr in the function Table	- Determination of the number of a row in a table - Determination whether the current row is the first row of the table - Determination whether the current row is the last row of the table

Invocation of system objects

System objects can be invoked wherever method invocations can be used:

Each system object begins with the hash sign # and is extended by the respective name of the system object. Different methods can be invoked depending on the type of system object.

Syntax:

$CMS_VALUE(#NAME[.METHOD])$

E.g.:

$CMS_IF(#global.preview)$
  Preview
$CMS_ELSE$
  No preview
$CMS_END_IF$

If a preview is generated for the current page Preview is output - otherwise No preview.

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