Template Engine language reference > Variables > Quiet reference notation

Quiet reference notation
Quiet reference notation enables you to have undefined variables in the template even if Template Engine runs in strict reference mode. This will output an empty string if the variable is undefined.
When Template Engine encounters an undefined reference, it will output the image of the reference if strict reference mode is not enabled. For example, suppose you have a template that is used to generate a form, and the following reference appears as part of a template.
<input type="text" name="email" value="$email"/>
When the form is loaded, the variable reference $email has no value, and “$email” is output to the form field. Click to enlarge
To output an empty string to this form field when the form is loaded, you must use the quiet reference notation $!email:
<input type="text" name="email" value="$!email"/>
When the form is loaded in this case, the variable reference $email has no value, and an empty string is output to the form field. Click to enlarge
OpenText StreamServe 5.6 Updated: 2013-03-01