Scopes, priorities, and built-in variables

Part 1 · Fundamentals›7 · Variables and control flowRFCP 5.1

Chapter lab: Variables and control flowch07-control-flow.zip · 3 KB

This chapter works in a prepared project. Download it before the first task; it unpacks into its own folder.

Download ch07-control-flow.zip

Or fetch and unpack it from a terminal in VS Code:

bash / zsh

curl -fsSLO https://manykarim.github.io/robotframework-essentials-web/labs/ch07-control-flow.zip && unzip -q ch07-control-flow.zip && rm ch07-control-flow.zip

PowerShell

Invoke-WebRequest https://manykarim.github.io/robotframework-essentials-web/labs/ch07-control-flow.zip -OutFile ch07-control-flow.zip; Expand-Archive ch07-control-flow.zip -DestinationPath .; Remove-Item ch07-control-flow.zip

Open the folder in VS Code with code rfe-ch07-control-flow (or File → Open Folder…) and accept the recommended RobotCode and Python extensions. Then set it up:

uv sync

bash / zsh

python3 -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

PowerShell

python -m venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
pip install -r requirements.txt

Keep the environment active in every terminal where you run lesson commands.

poetry install --no-root

Python 3.13 or newer is required; uv installs it when it is missing.

Open in browserNo setup? Try the lab right here: its files, an editor and a terminal, running in your browser.

What's inside

• Directoryrfe-ch07-control-flow/

  • Directory.vscode/

    • extensions.json
  • Directorychecks/

    • Directorycatalog/

      • catalog.robot
    • Directorysmoke/

      • smoke.robot
  • .gitignore
  • .python-version
  • LAB.md
  • pyproject.toml
  • README.md
  • requirements.txt
  • uv.lock

Robot Framework gives every run a set of built-in variables — automatic values you can read without declaring them: ${TEST_NAME}, ${CURDIR} (the suite’s folder), ${OUTPUT_DIR}, and more.

Variables also have scope and priority. A VAR can be local (default), TEST, SUITE, or GLOBAL. And a value set on the command line with --variable NAME:value overrides the *** Variables *** section, so you can retarget a run without editing files.

Task 1 — Use a built-in variable and a scoped VAR

Edit

Goal: create checks/scopes.robot with a test that reads a built-in variable, and another that creates a SUITE-scoped variable with VAR.

Here is the same idea with different built-ins and a different value. Adapt them.

Worked example — adapt it, don’t copy it

*** Test Cases ***
Reads Built In Values
    Should Not Be Empty    ${SUITE_NAME}
    Log    Output goes to ${OUTPUT_DIR}

Var With Scope
    VAR    ${token}    abc123    scope=SUITE
    Should Be Equal    ${token}    abc123

Done when

checks/scopes.robot defines the test Built In Variables Exist, and it passes.

Hint 1

Read a built-in without declaring it: Should Not Be Empty ${TEST_NAME} and Log Running from ${CURDIR}.

Hint 2

Create a scoped variable with VAR ${shared} hello scope=SUITE, then assert it equals hello.

Solution

*** Test Cases ***
Built In Variables Exist
    Should Not Be Empty    ${TEST_NAME}
    Log    Running from ${CURDIR}

Scoped Var Is Set
    VAR    ${shared}    hello    scope=SUITE
    Should Be Equal    ${shared}    hello

Task 2 — Run the suite green

Run

Run it:

uv run robot checks

robot checks

poetry run robot checks

Done when

the test Built In Variables Exist passes.

Check your understanding

Quick recall. Your first answer stays in this browser; the quiz never blocks your progress.

1. Which is a built-in (automatic) variable?

   ${TEST_NAME}${MY_VALUE}${PRODUCTS}
   Show the answer

   Answer: ${TEST_NAME} — Robot Framework provides automatic variables like ${TEST_NAME}, ${CURDIR}, and ${OUTPUT_DIR}.

2. A command-line --variable NAME:value beats…

   nothing — Variables section always winsa value set in the *** Variables *** sectiona built-in variable
   Show the answer

   Answer: a value set in the *** Variables *** section — CLI variables have higher priority than the Variables section, so they override defaults at run time.

Key terms

built-in variablesconcept

Automatic values like ${TEST_NAME}, ${CURDIR}, ${OUTPUT_DIR}.

variable priorityconcept

CLI --variable > Variables section; scopes: local < TEST < SUITE < GLOBAL.

All terms in the glossary →