Storing calculated values in AskiaScript

The AskiaDesign training course provides a broad introduction to routing instructions in AskiaDesign (contact Askia if you would like to arrange training sessions). However, the Askia system provides several more powerful routing capabilities that go beyond the scope of the course. This topic explains how to use variables to store calculated values, that can be used in later calculations or routing instructions. If you do not know how to define custom script conditions, you should first read the topic custom routing conditions in AskiaScript.

Using set value as a routing target

Set value is a routing outcome that allows you to set the value of a specific variable, depending on the outcome of the routing condition. This is most often used to store a value in a variable that is invisible during interviewing (the option visible during data entry is switched off for the question). This variable therefore can be used to hold a value that you can then refer to in later routing instructions, but it is not displayed during the interview.

To create and configure a set value routing instruction:

1. In question mode, create a new question that will store the value, and ensure that its visible during data entry option is switched off.
2. In routing mode, click ins to create a new routing instruction.
3. In start question, select the question after which the routing instruction should be evaluated. For example, if you want the instruction to be evaluated after Q3, you would select that question.
4. In execute, ensure after is selected.
5. Below execute, select appropriate criteria under which the question should be asked, by selecting appropriate responses from the start question.
6. In action, select set value.
7. In target question, select the question you created at step 1.
8. In value if true and value if false, enter the values you want to set if the condition is true or false respectively. For example, if you want the target question to store 1 if the condition is true, enter 1 in value if true.
   Note: As well as simply typing a fixed value, you can enter a complex script condition for each of the two outcomes (value if true and value if false) by clicking … and then building a script condition in the AskiaScript scripting language. A full description of the askiascript language can be found in the section AskiaScript 2.0.