3.14.7. Concatenating (combining) parameters
Prev | 3.14. Working with test data | Next

### 3.14.7. Concatenating (combining) parameters

The ITE lets you use various different types of parameter:

- Concrete values (Section 3.14.2, “Entering concrete values as data in Test Cases”).

- Referenced parameters (Section 3.14.3, “Using references for data in Test Cases”).

- Variables (Section 3.14.5, “Using variables as data for Test Cases”).

- Functions (Section 3.14.6, “Using functions as data for Test Cases”).

You can use these parameters separately, or you can combine them to create a parameter value. This is useful if a value you want to enter or check consists of parts that change and parts that stay the same.

To combine different types of parameter to make one value, you must write them in a specific way:

1. Referenced parameters can be either written with curly brackets around the reference name:

   ={REF_NAME}

   or you can use a shorthand: the = sign followed by the name of the reference like:

   =REF_NAME

2. Variable names can also be either written with curly brackets around them:

   ${VAR_NAME}

   or you can use a shorthand: the $ sign followed by the name of the reference like:

   $VAR_NAME

3. Concrete values are written as normal.

4. For example, you can build a data string that contains all four types of data:

   test_={PROJECTNAME}_${CUSTOMERNUMBER}_?now()

   Be careful with the shorthand notation: the parser interprets all allowed characters following an = or $ sign to be part of the name of the reference or variable, for example:

   test_=PRo1_JÖCT_$NAMÄ

   is interpreted by the parser as

   test_={PRo1_J}ÖCT_${NAM}Ä,

   so it uses the reference 'PRo1_J' and the variable 'NAM'.