Querying global objects

Query criteria that are not preceded by an object name are assumed to belong to the global object. For example, the expression method(2) assumes that global.method(2) is called.

The global object type provides functions and constants that are common in mathematics, such as pi, e, sin, cos, min, and max.


Query criteria	Description	Example and result
global.array([object, ...])	Creates an array of objects specified as parameters	`array('a','b','c') .convert($item.repeat($index)).join(',')` Yields 'a,bb,ccc'
global.atan(double)	Returns the arctangent of the number
global.bool()	Returns the type definition of the bool class. Type definition is a special instance of the class that doesn’t have the data associated with it. Only static methods (such as TypeName) can be called on type-definition objects.
global.chr(int)	Returns a character by the specified Unicode character code	`chr(65)` Yields 'A'
global.cos(double)	Returns the cosine of the number
global.double()	Returns the type definition of the double class
global.e()	Returns a double value of natural logarithm base
global.exp(double)	Returns the exponent of the number (e^x)
global.iif(bool, expression, expression)	Acts as an inline if function. The first parameter is a Boolean expression. If the expression evaluates to True, then iif returns the value of the seconds parameter; otherwise, it returns the value of the third parameter.	`iif('This is an apple' .contains('apple'), 'apple','orange')` Yields 'apple'
global.int()	Returns the type definition of the int class
global.log(double)	Returns the natural logarithm of the value
global.max(numeric, ...)	Returns the maximum value of the parameters	`max(2,3,4,1,0,13,5)` Yields 13
global.min(numeric, ...)	Returns the minimum value of the parameters	`min(2,3,4,1,0,13,5)` Yields 0
global.pi()	Returns a double value of pi
global.sin(double)	Returns the sine of the number
global.sqrt(double)	Returns the square root of the number
global.string()	Returns the type definition of the string class
global.tan(double)	Returns the tangent of the number


Query criteria	Description	Example and result
global.cmy(int, int, int)	Returns a CMY color with specified components	`@colors.find(cmy(0,0,0))` Finds shapes with a white CMY color
global.cmyk(int, int, int, int)	Returns a CMYK color with specified components	`@colors.find(cmyk(0,0,0,100))` Finds shapes with a black CMYK color
global.hls(int, int, int)	Returns an HLS color with specified components	`@colors.find(hls(0,0,0))` Finds shapes with a (0,0,0) HLS fill
global.hsb(int, int, int)	Returns an HSB color with specified components	`@fill.color.hsb = hsb(90,100,100)` Checks whether the shape has a (90, 100, 100) HSB fill
global.lab(double, int, int)	Returns a LAB color with specified components	`@outline.color.lab = lab(100,127,127)` Checks whether the shape has a (100, 127, 127) LAB outline
global.rgb(int, int, int)	Returns an RGB color with specified components	`@fill.color = rgb(255,0,0)` Checks whether the shape has a red RGB fill
global.yiq(int, int, int)	Returns a YIQ color with specified components	`@colors.find(yiq(0,0,0))` Finds shapes with a (0,0,0) YIQ color

You can include additional queries that filter the global properties of shapes on a page or layer.

To access the properties and methods of the current object, you must prepend the property name or method name with the at sign ( @ ). Thus, @type calls the Type property of the current object for which the expression is evaluated.

Calling macro functions

You can include queries that call macro functions. The vba property of the VBA global object provides access to public macro functions through the following syntax:

For example, you can add the following VBA function to GlobalMacros>Module1:

You can then call this function from a query such as the following, yielding the result 5:

Only public functions in code modules can be called in this way. Private functions, functions in class modules or form modules, and subroutines cannot be called from queries.