Lenovo ThinkPad R400 - Manual (Page 123)

Use variables in association with base map menu items to accomplish any of the
following functions:
v Setting a variable to contain a hard coded value
v Setting conditions to determine menu items displayed during the installation
process
v Referencing text within menu item descriptions and sub-menu item titles
v Setting a variable to prompt the user for a specific value during the installation
process
v Setting a variable so that a prompted value is passed as a parameter for a utility
or filter
Note: Variables as described in this section have no association or interaction with
the variables used in the User Information tab of the Map Settings window.
Setting a variable to contain a hard coded value
The first step in using variables is to determine whether or not you want to hard
code a value to a variable, or if you want to prompt the person performing the
installation process for a value to a variable. In some cases, you might want to
hard code, or define, a value for a variable used in a base-map menu item. Hard
coding values to menu items enables you to develop a structure whereby you can
begin to exercise functions that variables provide. For instance, you might have a
menu item titled “Windows 2000.” In this example, you may want to define the
variable for this menu item as “OS.” In which case, you could hard code the value
for this variable to be “Windows 2000.”
To set a variable and its related value for menu items in a base map, do the
following:
1. Open the Repository window for the repository where the map resides.
2. If your repository contains folders, navigate to the folder where the map
resides.
3. In the right pane of the Repository window, click Base Maps. A list of base
maps is displayed.
4. Double-click the appropriate base map. The Base Map window opens.
5. Expand the map tree.
6. Select the menu item to which you want to associate a variable. (In this
example, you would select the Windows 2000 menu item.
7. In the Main window menu bar, click View and then click Properties . The Menu
Item Properties window opens.
8. In the Variables tab, do the following:
a. Click the Insert Variable icon.
b. In the Variable field, either type the variable or select a predefined variable
using the drop-down menu. (In this example, you would type OS ).
c. In the Value field, type the value you want to associate with the variable.
(In this example, you would type Windows 2000 ).
d. Click OK . The variable and its associated value are inserted in the Set field
on the Variables tab.
e. Repeat these steps for each variable you want to add.(In this example, you
might want to set similar variables for each operating system supported
within the base map).
9. Click the Save icon located in the Main window toolbar; then, close the Menu
Item Properties window.
Chapter 6. Map construction overview 109