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 # ReferenceVariable

 Last update: 30.07.2026 

public class [ReferenceVariable](index.md) : [Variable](./../-variable/index.md)

A variable type class for ModelCenter

#### Author

Woyak, 10/2001

## Functions

NameSummary[createRefProp](create-ref-prop.md)public [createRefProp](create-ref-prop.md)(name: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html), type: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)): [RefProp](./../-ref-prop/index.md)  
creates a reference property[dependentLinks](./../-variable/dependent-links.md)public [dependentLinks](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/from-string.md)public [fromString](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/get-direct-dependents.md)public [getDirectDependents](./../-variable/get-direct-dependents.md)(): [Variables](./../-variables/index.md)  
public [getDirectDependents](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/get-direct-precedents.md)public [getDirectPrecedents](./../-variable/get-direct-precedents.md)(): [Variables](./../-variables/index.md)  
public [getDirectPrecedents](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/get-full-name.md)public [getFullName](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/get-has-changed.md)public [getHasChanged](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/get-hide.md)public [getHide](./../-variable/get-hide.md)(): [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html)  
Gets whether the variable is hidden or not[getMetadata](./../-variable/get-metadata.md)public [getMetadata](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/get-name.md)public [getName](./../-variable/get-name.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
Gets the name of the variable, e.g.[getNumReferencedVariables](get-num-referenced-variables.md)public [getNumReferencedVariables](get-num-referenced-variables.md)(): [Int](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-int/index.html)  
get the number of variables referenced by this object[getOwningComponent](./../-variable/get-owning-component.md)public [getOwningComponent](./../-variable/get-owning-component.md)(): [Component](./../-component/index.md)  
Get the component which owns this variable.[getReference](get-reference.md)public [getReference](get-reference.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
gets the reference equation[getReferencedVariable](get-referenced-variable.md)public [getReferencedVariable](get-referenced-variable.md)(): [Variable](./../-variable/index.md)  
Convenience method to return the referenced variable.  
public [getReferencedVariable](get-referenced-variable.md)(index: [Int](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-int/index.html)): [Variable](./../-variable/index.md)  
gets the specified referenced variable[getRefPropValue](get-ref-prop-value.md)public [getRefPropValue](get-ref-prop-value.md)(name: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
gets a value for a reference property[getRefPropValueAbsolute](get-ref-prop-value-absolute.md)public [getRefPropValueAbsolute](get-ref-prop-value-absolute.md)(name: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
gets a value for a reference property[getType](./../-variable/get-type.md)public [getType](./../-variable/get-type.md)(): [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html)  
Gets the type of the variable.[getValue](get-value.md)public [getValue](get-value.md)(): [Double](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-double/index.html)  
gets the value of the reference[invalidate](./../-variable/invalidate.md)public [invalidate](./../-variable/invalidate.md)()  
Invalidates the variable[isInput](./../-variable/is-input.md)public [isInput](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/is-input-to-component.md)public [isInputToComponent](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/is-input-to-model.md)public [isInputToModel](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/is-valid.md)public [isValid](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/precedent-links.md)public [precedentLinks](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/set-has-changed.md)public [setHasChanged](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/set-hide.md)public [setHide](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/set-metadata.md)public [setMetadata](./../-variable/set-metadata.md)(name: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html), type: [Variable.MetadataType](./../-variable/-metadata-type/index.md), value: [Any](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-any/index.html), access: [Variable.MetadataAccess](./../-variable/-metadata-access/index.md), archive: [Boolean](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-boolean/index.html))  
Set a metadata value on a variable.[setReference](set-reference.md)public [setReference](set-reference.md)(reference: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html))  
sets the reference equation[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.[setRefPropValue](set-ref-prop-value.md)public [setRefPropValue](set-ref-prop-value.md)(name: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html), value: [String](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/lang/String.html))  
sets a value for a reference property[setValue](set-value.md)public [setValue](set-value.md)(value: [Double](https://kotlinlang.org/api/latest/jvm/stdlib/kotlin/-double/index.html))  
set the value of the reference[toString](./../-variable/to-string.md)public [toString](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/to-string-absolute.md)public [toStringAbsolute](./../-variable/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](./../-variable/validate.md)public [validate](./../-variable/validate.md)()  
Causes the scheduler to get a valid value for this variable.