Variables are how Wintermute stores information about the show¹⁾; they exist in the zone tree structure.

• They are written in the form <zone>.<variable>
• A zone also has a status value: <zone> and <zone>.<status> are equivalent
• They can we written to:
  • Through commands - either with set or (if they're integers) incremented.
  • Via incoming OSC
• They are read:
  • As components of conditional statements
  • Interpolated into commands as variable references
  • Using triggers to drive behaviour automatically from variable values

Generally, Wintermute also allows the use of the wildcard symbol - * - in referring to variables. For example:

set: zone1.f* | bar

…would set all variables in zone1 starting with “f” to “bar”. This is a powerful feature and should be used with care! Note that wildcards do not work with references - it will simple use the first result that matches, the behaviour of which is unpredictable.

There is also a system of global system variables and special zone variables which is described here