where to use @ and $ for dynamic elements/variable in Python/RobotFramework. Example @{cookies} and ${cookies}

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I don't have any problem but trying to understand where to use @{any_variable} and ${any_variable} "@" and "$" difference

:FOR    ${partner}    IN    @{partners_name}
      Set test variable   ${partner}

I don't have any error just want to understand where to use @ and $ or the difference between @ and $

robotframework python
1 Answers

The $ prefix stands for "use the value of that variable"; @ is "expand the content of the container (usually a list, but that's not the only option), and use that set of values".

For instance:

${a list}=    Create List    a    b    c

When used

FOR    ${value}    IN    @{a list}

, is evaluated by RF as

FOR    ${value}    IN    a     b    c

, which is the correct for-loop syntax.

But in the same time:

FOR    ${value}    IN    ${a list}

, is evaluated by RF as

FOR    ${value}    IN    ['a', 'b', 'c']   # this is a string, not an actual python list

, which is syntactically incorrect for RF.

In general, when you want to pass "the list members, each one separately" - use the @. When you need to pass the list variable itself - use the $.

This is a simplification, but covers the major use case.

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