System variables on the variables list

Variables

Probably the most obvious use of a variable is to display some text that may change when a book or topic is published, such as the date published, or which user published the book. The System type variables are ideal for this. System variables can also be used in external publishing templates.

<Sys_LDate> This date is created by the <Sys_LDate> variable, which displays the date this book was published according to the computer long date format of the computer doing the publishing.

<Sys_User> This is the name of the Author-it user logged in who actually did the publishing, and is set by the <Sys_User> variable.

It should be noted that system variables are set once at the beginning of a publishing session so that all documents published in a session can have the same values when using these variables.

The system variables in this topic are shown in the variable list, however, there are additional system variables that are not shown in the variables list (Edit tab > Variables > List).

The following system variables are visible in the variable list; the variable name is added between angle brackets:

Variable name

Information the variable adds to the published output

SYS_BASEDON

object template id

SYS_BASEDONKEY

object template code

SYS_BASEDONTEXT

object template description

SYS_CREATED

object creation date/time

SYS_CREATEDBY

object created by

SYS_DESCRIPTION

object description

SYS_HEADING

used in external publishing templates to add the web heading or title

SYS_LDATE

long date publishing started

SYS_MODIFIED

object last modified date/time

SYS_MODIFIEDBY

object last modified by

SYS_OBJECT_GUID

object guid

SYS_OBJECTID

object code

SYS_PRIMARY_OBJECT_GUID

if the object is a variant, adds the guid of the primary object

SYS_PUBLISH_FOLDER

publishing output folder of the current book

SYS_SDATE

short date publishing started

SYS_STATEID

object release state id

SYS_STATUS

object status id

SYS_TIME

time publishing started

SYS_TOC_ORDER

the object's sibling index within its level in the book toc

SYS_TOC_PARENT_GUID

object guid for the object's parent in the book

SYS_TOC_PARENT_ID

object id of the object's parent in the book

SYS_USER

user who published the document

SYS_VERSION

object version