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 # Variable

 Last update: 16.07.2025 

public class [Variable](index.md) : [PHXCOMObject](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/index.md)

This is a base class for variable types in ModelCenter

#### Author

Woyak, 9/2001

#### Inheritors

[Array](../-array/index.md)[BooleanVariable](../-boolean-variable/index.md)[DoubleVariable](../-double-variable/index.md)[FileVariable](../-file-variable/index.md)[GeometryVariable](../-geometry-variable/index.md)[IntegerVariable](../-integer-variable/index.md)[ObjectVariable](../-object-variable/index.md)[ReferenceVariable](../-reference-variable/index.md)[StringVariable](../-string-variable/index.md)[Array](../-array/index.md)[BooleanVariable](../-boolean-variable/index.md)[DoubleVariable](../-double-variable/index.md)[FileVariable](../-file-variable/index.md)[GeometryVariable](../-geometry-variable/index.md)[IntegerVariable](../-integer-variable/index.md)[ObjectVariable](../-object-variable/index.md)[ReferenceVariable](../-reference-variable/index.md)[StringVariable](../-string-variable/index.md)## Types

NameSummary[MetadataAccess](-metadata-access/index.md)enum [MetadataAccess](-metadata-access/index.md)  
Supported access levels.[MetadataType](-metadata-type/index.md)enum [MetadataType](-metadata-type/index.md)  
Supported metadata types.## Functions

NameSummary[dependentLinks](dependent-links.md)public [dependentLinks](dependent-links.md)(): [VariableLinks](../-variable-links/index.md)  
Returns a list of links that immediately depend on the value of this variable.[disableGC](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/disable-g-c.md)public [disableGC](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/disable-g-c.md)(gc: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html))  
If true, prevents releaseObjects from doing anything.[fromString](from-string.md)public [fromString](from-string.md)(str: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html))  
Sets the value for the variable from a string.[getDirectDependents](get-direct-dependents.md)public [getDirectDependents](get-direct-dependents.md)(): [Variables](../-variables/index.md)  
public [getDirectDependents](get-direct-dependents.md)(followSuspended: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)): [Variables](../-variables/index.md)  
Gets all the immediately linked outputs of this variable.[getDirectPrecedents](get-direct-precedents.md)public [getDirectPrecedents](get-direct-precedents.md)(): [Variables](../-variables/index.md)  
public [getDirectPrecedents](get-direct-precedents.md)(followSuspended: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)): [Variables](../-variables/index.md)  
Gets all the immediately linked inputs of this variable.[getFullName](get-full-name.md)public [getFullName](get-full-name.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
Gets the full name of the variable, e.g.[getHasChanged](get-has-changed.md)public [getHasChanged](get-has-changed.md)(): [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)  
Boolean which indicates if the variable has changed since the last time the boolean was reset.[getHide](get-hide.md)public [getHide](get-hide.md)(): [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)  
Gets whether the variable is hidden or not[getMetadata](get-metadata.md)public [getMetadata](get-metadata.md)(name: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)): [Variant](../-variant/index.md)  
Get a metadata value.[getName](get-name.md)public [getName](get-name.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
Gets the name of the variable, e.g.[getOwningComponent](get-owning-component.md)public [getOwningComponent](get-owning-component.md)(): [Component](../-component/index.md)  
Get the component which owns this variable.[getType](get-type.md)public [getType](get-type.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
Gets the type of the variable.[invalidate](invalidate.md)public [invalidate](invalidate.md)()  
Invalidates the variable[isInput](is-input.md)public [isInput](is-input.md)(): [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)  
Indicates whether the variable is an input or output[isInputToComponent](is-input-to-component.md)public [isInputToComponent](is-input-to-component.md)(): [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)  
Indicates whether a variable is an input to a component[isInputToModel](is-input-to-model.md)public [isInputToModel](is-input-to-model.md)(): [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)  
Indicates whether a variable is an input to the Model[isValid](is-valid.md)public [isValid](is-valid.md)(): [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)  
Indicates whether the variable is currently valid or not[precedentLinks](precedent-links.md)public [precedentLinks](precedent-links.md)(): [VariableLinks](../-variable-links/index.md)  
Returns a list of links that are immediate precedents to the value of this variable.[release](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/release.md)public [release](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/release.md)()  
Releases the COM reference to ModelCenter for this object.[releaseObjects](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/release-objects.md)public [releaseObjects](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/release-objects.md)()  
This function attempts to release any COM resources left behind from objects which have been finalized but release() was never called on them.[setHasChanged](set-has-changed.md)public [setHasChanged](set-has-changed.md)(flag: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html))  
Boolean which indicates if the variable has changed since the last time the boolean was reset.[setHide](set-hide.md)public [setHide](set-hide.md)(flag: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html))  
Set whether the variable is hidden or not[setMetadata](set-metadata.md)public [setMetadata](set-metadata.md)(name: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html), type: [Variable.MetadataType](-metadata-type/index.md), value: [Any](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-any/index.html), access: [Variable.MetadataAccess](-metadata-access/index.md), archive: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html))  
Set a metadata value on a variable.[setReferenceDebugMode](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/set-reference-debug-mode.md)public [setReferenceDebugMode](../../com.phoenix_int.ModelCenter.util/-p-h-x-c-o-m-object/set-reference-debug-mode.md)(on: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html))  
When set to true, the system will keep a list of active COM objects that are allocated but not yet released since this method was invoked.[toString](to-string.md)public [toString](to-string.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
Converts the variable value to a string representation.[toStringAbsolute](to-string-absolute.md)public [toStringAbsolute](to-string-absolute.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
Converts the variable value to a string representation.[validate](validate.md)public [validate](validate.md)()  
Causes the scheduler to get a valid value for this variable.