Target Overriding Variables

Flare allows global variable values to be overridden for a specific output by editing the values of such variables in the target .fltar file generating that output⁴.

When reviewing outputs for potential defects, it is handy to easily tell at a glance between project‑wide variables and their target‑specific overrides, as this can significantly reduce the time required to identify the source of an issue.

In Flare localization workflows, overlooking these target variables can lead to untranslated strings appearing in the final output. Say, for example, a project-wide variable should be replaced in each generated output type by its associated overriding variable such as "Letter size", "A4 size", etc. Left untranslated, these target variable values will appear in the otherwise translated output.

A simple and immediate way to flag these instances of overridden variables is to manually add an eye-catching control character to the target variable using Flare Target Editor as shown below:

In this example the control character used is the % percentage sign. Prior to selecting a discretionary control character, it is recommended to check all existing variables, project-wide and target, and choose an appropriate eye-catching control character, like @, #, or $, to list a few.

The added character will be rendered alongside the variable debug closing character as explained in section Project-wide Variables above, that is %], making it conveniently searchable in the resulting outputs, which would look like this:

This is a [target%] [variable] as rendered in the output

However, implementing this debug feature this way has at least two drawbacks:

• It can be cumbersome in situations when a fair amount of targets and variables require updating
• The Target Editor displays all project-wide variables, including those that don’t require editing, making it tricky to tell from each other. In the example above, Variable1 and Variable2 definitions are global variables that should remain unchanged

A practical workaround is to edit the underlying .fltar file directly by performing a find and replace in files operation.

Unlike Flare Target Editor, a .fltar file includes just the overriding variables. In the above example, the original .fltar file <Variables> section would look like this:

<Variables>
  <Variable
    Name="DebugSample/Variable3">target</Variable>
</Variables>

Therefore, the control trailing character can be implemented by running a find and replace in files procedure with the following settings, whereas % is the control character of choice:

Within Flare, the find and replace(6) process would be as follows: