Custom Variables Double Up

[MDN]

Hi

I have had this in the past but just ignored it, however it is a bit of a pain, I have some custom variables, some used for filtering and some just for extra text, the problem is that even after a compact they still appear twice in some places within the site, so when selecting true/false or entering text it has to be done again underneath, two lots of the same variable.

Can anyone offer any advise on how to resolve it please as I can only assume its some kind of bug

Thanks very much

[NormanRouxel]

Is this happening on a clean SD 2013 site or one that has been upgraded from an earlier version?

[MDN]

Hi Norman,

Clean site, I have had it and still got a couple on one site, but transferred a clean snapshot from one pc to another and loads of variables have doubled

[NormanRouxel]

Eeek! I only ever encountered this on earlier SD versions. And then it seemed to mainly be on variables associated with Choices.

Where are you using these variables?

[MDN]

Everywhere ;-) badly affected is a true/false variable to hide brochure pages in the navigation so that is set a site level, the other is a slider with around 6 variables per slide with 8 slides in total, all have doubled up so now instead of 48 I have 96 variables again set at site level.

[Mike Hughes]

I've never come across this but the first thing I'd do is look at the variables in the design library to make sure they don't somehow appear twice.

Mike

[jont]

@lee - I have this on random variables on v10, v11 & v12 ... sometimes they double up after being absolutely fine for years. Compacting does not resolve.

As you say, you have to set both variables for it to take effect.

I have been living with the shame for ages, glad to be out in the open

[MDN]

Jont, its always been something I have just lived with, but this time has caused a major issue, simply down to the fact that every variable added has been doubled up.

The joys of it all!!

[NormanRouxel]

Here's something worth trying (but try on a test machine first). And backup the entire Site folder, just in case.

Export a Partial Site Design of these Variables and all Layouts that use them. That will create a file Act_DesignExport.txt in your Site folder. Rename this (My_DesignExport.txt) so you don't accidentally overwrite it.

Then delete all these layouts and variables from the Library (or just delete the contents of the layouts).
Compact databases.

Edit My_DesignExport.txt in a text editor (I use notepad++) and look for the Variable lines to see if any are duplicated. If you see duplicate lines, delete them. Save modified file to new name Fixed_DesignExport.txt

Now use File / Import to import Fixed_DesignExport.txt (choosing Update when asked) and see if that's fixed things.

[leehack]

@lee - I have this on random variables on v10, v11 & v12 ... sometimes they double up after being absolutely fine for years. Compacting does not resolve.

As you say, you have to set both variables for it to take effect.

I have been living with the shame for ages, glad to be out in the open

Same here, a regular problem, often on layout selectors, especially on fragment layout i have found.

Selecting something on the second instance of the choice is usually the one that initiates a change, the first one in my experience is often a phantom one that changes nothing, sometimes by choosing a completely different choice, the phantom one disappears too.

A very random and annoying, hard to replicate issue.

[Mike Hughes]

Now seeing this too.

What's odd is that when the duplicate variable appears it seems to have a different value to the original one.

Definitely a bit buggy.

Mike