# Why does the Set variable not allow you to set user variables that have been toggled "is Macro"?
**URL:** https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651
**Category:** Bugs
**Created:** [March 27, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651 "2008-03-27T12:48:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2008, 12:48pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/1 "2008-03-27T12:48:50Z")
I'm trying to do a simple swap of a user variable from a wrapper script so that I don't have to change the orginal script. The user variable is a composite of four or 5 other variable so that I'm left with a very purpose specific output path that doesn't require any control logic. Anyway, the Set Variable doesn't allow the user to pull down any variable that is marked as a macro and it doesn't allow me to just type in any variable that I want, so I'm stuck. Now if it has be a non-macro because Final Builder has some kind of problem with macro within macro within macro, I'd understand. But... at the point that i'm swapping out the value i'm not using it as a macro variable, so if i could maybe turn off the macro flag while the swap is happening, I'd be happy.
-- David.
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### Author:  [@tate](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/tate)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2008, 5:01am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/2 "2008-03-27T05:01:04Z")
Hi David,
Yes, FB (and AT) do not allow you to change the value of Macro variables. I think what you mean by swapping them would be fine to temporarily turn off Is Macro for the variables and then you can select them in the Set Variable action.
.t8
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### Author:  [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2008, 8:29am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/3 "2008-03-27T08:29:26Z")
hi .t8
How do I temporarily change the flags on a variable? I was just putting it out there as a "wish". Remember this all has to be done from with in the script.
-- David.
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### Author:  [@tate](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/tate)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2008, 2:11am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/4 "2008-03-28T02:11:41Z")
David - you can’t change the flags on the variables from script, you’ll have to do it manually in the Edit Variable dialog.
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### Author:  [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)
#### Post date: [April 1, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/5 "2008-04-01T08:46:43Z")
Yes, I understand that I would have to toggle it manually. But that is not practical. I can't toggle the value manual run a swap variables script then run the actually script I want to do. That's silly. I might as well type in the path variables every time I want to run the script.
I am requesting from finalbuilder the ability(the added feature) of being able to toggle the "is Macro" through an instruction, or the added feature of being able to edit an "is Macro" user variable.
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### Author:  [@angus](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/angus)
#### Post date: [April 2, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/6 "2008-04-02T12:50:05Z")
Hi David,
Actually, for most purposes (ie referencing variables as %VariableName%) you can safely disable "is Macro" and just work with the variable current value, it will still recursively expand variable references inside the variable value. This will let you change the variable value, while probably still getting the behaviour you need.
Will that allow you to do what you need?
Regards,
Angus
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### Author:  [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 11:56am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/7 "2008-04-08T11:56:33Z")
No after some testing, it won't work. Those user variables must be macros because otherwise they are not being properly expanded when they are used to create the file paths.
In short I still need the ability(the added feature) of being able to toggle the "is Macro" through an instruction, or the added feature of being able to edit an "is Macro" user variable.
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### Author:  [@angus](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/angus)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/8 "2008-05-02T01:09:34Z")
Hi David,
Sorry for the delay getting back to you. What version of FinalBuilder/Automise are you using?
- Angus
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### Author:  [@deleted\_user](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/deleted_user)
#### Post date: [May 15, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/why-does-the-set-variable-not-allow-you-to-set-user-variables-that-have-been-toggled-is-macro/4651/9 "2008-05-15T02:58:36Z")
5.5.07.07. But it’s alright I just brute forced it and replicated the output files from the first script into the second.