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Setting Variables in BluPlusPlus

Variables are used in JAlbum and BluPlusPlus to give values to various parameters that allow the user to make choices that influence the appearance of generated albums. These variables fall into several categories:

  • JAlbum variables—these variables are an integral part of JAlbum and are therefore part of all skins; they are set
  • Skin-specific variables—each skin author can create variables that allow for further customization beyond the core changes that can be made with JAlbum variables; skin variables are set
    • on the skin-specific tab (labelled “BluPlusPlus” for BPP) and skin-specific subtabs.
    • from .jap (JAlbum project) files—both the ‘hints.jap’ file provided by the skin author or a user-created project file opened from JAlbum’s File menu
    • from variables.properties files placed in album and subalbum folders
  • User defined variables—Users can define variables for use in generated albums. These are set on the Advanced tab—User Variables subtab. Note that in JAlbum versions 5.2 and above, JAlbum no longer creates entries on the JAlbum Advanced tab-User Variables subtab for each BluPlusPlus skin variable.
  • Meta.properties file variables—skin authors can create additional variables to allow for items such as custom folder icons, header/footer comments, image descriptions, etc. These differ from User Variables in that they can ONLY be set in a meta.properties file, not via the JAlbum user interface.

A list of JAlbum and BluPlusPlus variables can be found in the ‘hints.jap’ file.