Expressions ​

This feature allows you to set a dynamic value for a block based on data from:

Automa uses mustache templating and extends it with data from above and functions.

Writing Expression ​

To write an expression, you must follow this format "{{ keyword }}"; and replace the keyword with one of the above data sources. It allows Automa to differentiate between static and dynamic data.

Let's say you have a variable inside the workflow, and the variable name is socials; its value is an array of objects. You want to send this variable to an API using the HTTP Request block.

[
  { "name": "GitHub", "url": "https://github.com/AutomaApp" },
  { "name": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/AutomaApp" },
  { "name": "Discord", "url": "https://discord.gg/C6khwwTE84" }
]

[
  { "name": "GitHub", "url": "https://github.com/AutomaApp" },
  { "name": "Twitter", "url": "https://twitter.com/AutomaApp" },
  { "name": "Discord", "url": "https://discord.gg/C6khwwTE84" }
]

You can use the following expression inside the HTTP Request block body:

{{variables.socials}}

{{variables.socials}}

But what if you want to use the url property on the first element of the array as a value inside the New Tab block URL? For that, use the following expression:

{{variables.socials.0.url}}

{{variables.socials.0.url}}

0 on that expression means the first element of the array. And if you want to get the second element of the array, replace it with 1. 2 for the third element; 3 for the fourth element; and so on.

Access Another Data Inside the Expressions ​

To access other data inside the expression, you must wrap the expression for accessing the data with a bracket ([]). For example, when you want to increment a variable using the $increment function or get the table row based on the current index of the loop. You can write the expressions like:

{{$increment([variables.variableName]}}

{{table.[loopData.loopId.$index].columnName}}

{{$increment([variables.variableName]}}

{{table.[loopData.loopId.$index].columnName}}

Functions ​

All built-in functions always start with the prefix $; for example, $funcName(param); And here are reference list of available functions in Automa.

$date(date, dateFormat?) ​

Get or format a date. This function takes two parameters, which the second parameter is optional.

If you want to format the current date, you can directly pass the dateFormat as the first parameter, like {{ $date('DD-MMMM-YYYY') }}, and the output would be 14-January-2022. See all the available date formats on the day.js page.

And for the date parameter, see the valid date format on the MDN page.

Examples

$date("DD MMMM YYYY") // 14 January 2022
$date("DD-MM-YYYY, hh:mm A")  // 14-01-2022, 02:24 PM
$date("relative") // A few seconds ago
$date("timestamp") // 1651118110948

$date("2005-06-07", "DD MMMM YYYY") // 07 June 2005
$date("1977-04-01T14:00:30", "DD-MM-YYYY, hh:mm A")  // 01-04-1977, 02:00 PM
$date("14 January 2021", "relative") // A year ago
$date("14 January 2021", "timestamp") // 1610553600000

$date("DD MMMM YYYY") // 14 January 2022
$date("DD-MM-YYYY, hh:mm A")  // 14-01-2022, 02:24 PM
$date("relative") // A few seconds ago
$date("timestamp") // 1651118110948

$date("2005-06-07", "DD MMMM YYYY") // 07 June 2005
$date("1977-04-01T14:00:30", "DD-MM-YYYY, hh:mm A")  // 01-04-1977, 02:00 PM
$date("14 January 2021", "relative") // A year ago
$date("14 January 2021", "timestamp") // 1610553600000

$randint(min?, max?) ​

Generate a random number. You can change the range of the random number by inputting the min and max parameters.

Examples

$randint() // 30
$randint() // 14

$randint(0, 10) // 4
$randint(0, 10) // 7

$randint() // 30
$randint() // 14

$randint(0, 10) // 4
$randint(0, 10) // 7

$getLength(str) ​

Get the length of a string or array.

Examples

// Get the length of a string
$getLength("testing") // 7

// Get tabel length
$getLength([table]) // 14

// Get the length of the "text" column on the second row
$getLength([table.1.text]) // 5

// Get the length of a string
$getLength("testing") // 7

// Get tabel length
$getLength([table]) // 14

// Get the length of the "text" column on the second row
$getLength([table.1.text]) // 5

$randData(expression) ​

A function to generate random data, you only need to pass an expression to its parameter. For example, $randData("?l") will generate a random lowercase letter like a. Supported expression:

• ?l: lowercase
• ?u: uppercase
• ?d: digit
• ?f: uppercase + lowercase
• ?s: symbol
• ?m: uppercase + digit
• ?n: lowercase + digit
• ?a: any

You can also combine these expressions like $randData("?u?l?l?l?l?d?d@gmail.com") which will generate Apond89@gmail.com.

Examples

$randData("?d?d") // 89

$randData("?l?l?l?d?d@gmail.com") // wal29@gmail.com

$randData("?d?u?s?l?l?s?a?m") // 4C%ee^MF9

$randData("?d?d") // 89

$randData("?l?l?l?d?d@gmail.com") // wal29@gmail.com

$randData("?d?u?s?l?l?s?a?m") // 4C%ee^MF9

$multiply(value, multiplyBy) ​

Is used to multiply a value.

Examples

$multiply(5, 2) // 10

// Multiply a variable
$multiply([variables.variableName], 0.3) //20.7

$multiply(5, 2) // 10

// Multiply a variable
$multiply([variables.variableName], 0.3) //20.7

$increment(value, incrementBy) ​

Is used to increment a value.

Examples

$increment(10, 2) // 12

$increment(72, 2) // 74

$increment(10, 2) // 12

$increment(72, 2) // 74

$divide(value, incrementBy) ​

Is used to divide a value.

Examples

$divide(22, 7) // 3.142857142857143

$divide(10, 2) // 5

$divide(22, 7) // 3.142857142857143

$divide(10, 2) // 5

$subtract(value, incrementBy) ​

Is used to subtract a value.

Examples

$subtract(80, 7) // 73

$subtract(11, 2) // 9

$subtract(80, 7) // 73

$subtract(11, 2) // 9

$replace(value, search, replace) ​

Is used to replace a string search from value to be replace string.

Examples

$replace("hello world!", "world", "everyone") // hello everyone!

$replace("hello world!", "hello", "hi") // hi world!

$replace("hello world!", "world", "everyone") // hello everyone!

$replace("hello world!", "hello", "hi") // hi world!

$replaceAll(value, search, replace) ​

Used to replace all the matches string search from value to be replace string.

Examples

$replace("hello world!", "o", "0") // hell0 w0rld

$replace("The temperature is 25 degrees today", " ", "") // Thetemperatureis25degreestoday

$replace("hello world!", "o", "0") // hell0 w0rld

$replace("The temperature is 25 degrees today", " ", "") // Thetemperatureis25degreestoday

$toLowerCase(value) ​

Is used to lowercase a value.

Examples

$toLowerCase("HELLO WORLD!") // hello world!

$toLowerCase("hELLO wORLD!") // hello world!

$toLowerCase("HELLO WORLD!") // hello world!

$toLowerCase("hELLO wORLD!") // hello world!

$toUpperCase(value) ​

Is used to uppercase a value.

Examples

$toUpperCase("hello world!") // HELLO WORLD!

$toUpperCase("hELLO wORLD!") // HELLO WORLD!

$toUpperCase("hello world!") // HELLO WORLD!

$toUpperCase("hELLO wORLD!") // HELLO WORLD!

$modulo(num, divisor) ​

Returns the remainder or signed remainder of a division.

Examples

$modulo(13, 5) // 3

$modulo(-13, 5) // -3

$modulo(4, 2) // 0

$modulo(-4, 2) // -0

$modulo(13, 5) // 3

$modulo(-13, 5) // -3

$modulo(4, 2) // 0

$modulo(-4, 2) // -0

$filter(data, syntax) ​

Filter/Query javascript object. Automa is using JSONPath library to do querying.

• data: Javascript object to query
• syntax: JSONPath Syntax

Examples

Querying colors variable with these as the value:

[
	{ color: "red", value: "#f00" },
	{ color: "green", value: "#0f0" },
	{ color: "blue", value: "#00f" },
	{ color: "cyan", value: "#0ff" },
	{ color: "magenta", value: "#f0f" },
	{ color: "yellow", value: "#ff0" },
	{ color: "black", value: "#000" }
]

[
	{ color: "red", value: "#f00" },
	{ color: "green", value: "#0f0" },
	{ color: "blue", value: "#00f" },
	{ color: "cyan", value: "#0ff" },
	{ color: "magenta", value: "#f0f" },
	{ color: "yellow", value: "#ff0" },
	{ color: "black", value: "#000" }
]

{{ $filter([variables.colors], "$..color") }}
// ['red', 'green', 'blue', 'cyan', 'magenta', 'yellow', 'black']

{{ $filter([variables.colors], "$..value") }}
// ['#f00', '#0f0', '#00f', '#0ff', '#f0f', '#ff0', '#000']

{{ $filter([variables.colors], "$..color") }}
// ['red', 'green', 'blue', 'cyan', 'magenta', 'yellow', 'black']

{{ $filter([variables.colors], "$..value") }}
// ['#f00', '#0f0', '#00f', '#0ff', '#f0f', '#ff0', '#000']

Using JS Expressions

!!{{ $filter(variables.colors, "$..color") }}
// ['red', 'green', 'blue', 'cyan', 'magenta', 'yellow', 'black']

!!{{ $filter(variables.colors, "$..value") }}
// ['#f00', '#0f0', '#00f', '#0ff', '#f0f', '#ff0', '#000']

!!{{ $filter(variables.colors, "$..color") }}
// ['red', 'green', 'blue', 'cyan', 'magenta', 'yellow', 'black']

!!{{ $filter(variables.colors, "$..value") }}
// ['#f00', '#0f0', '#00f', '#0ff', '#f0f', '#ff0', '#000']

$stringify(value) ​

Convert JavaScript value to a JSON string.

Examples ​

This section provides more examples of how to write expressions. And the data structure of the source data.

Table ​

The table is stored as an array of objects with the table column as the object key.

[
  { "color": "blue", "value": "#00f" },
  { "color": "cyan", "value": "#0ff" },
  { "color": "magenta", "value": "#f0f" },
  { "color": "yellow", "value": "#ff0" },
  { "color": "black", "value": "#000" }
]

[
  { "color": "blue", "value": "#00f" },
  { "color": "cyan", "value": "#0ff" },
  { "color": "magenta", "value": "#f0f" },
  { "color": "yellow", "value": "#ff0" },
  { "color": "black", "value": "#000" }
]

• Get the first row of the table.
  expression: {{ table.0 }}
  output: { "color": "blue", "value": "#00f" }

• Get the second row of the table.
  expression: {{ table.1 }}
  output: { "color": "cyan", "value": "#0ff" }

• Get the last row of the table.
  expression: {{ table.$last }}
  output: { "color": "black", "value": "#000" }

• Get value of the color column on the first row of the table.
  expression: {{ table.0.color }}
  output: blue

• Get value of the value column on the first row of the table.
  expression: {{ table.0.value }}
  output: #00f

Variables ​

The variables is stored as an object with the variable name as the object key.

{
  "url": "https://automa.site",
  "numbers": [100, 500, 300, 200, 400]
}

{
  "url": "https://automa.site",
  "numbers": [100, 500, 300, 200, 400]
}

• Get value of the url variable.
  expression: {{ variables.url }}
  output: https://automa.site

• Get value of the numbers variable.
  expression: {{ variables.numbers }}
  output: [100, 500, 300, 200, 400]

• Get the first number of the numbers variable.
  expression: {{ variables.numbers.0 }}
  output: 100

JavaScript Expressions ​

Automa also supports javascript within the expression, but to write a javascript, you must add !! characters as the first value on a text field of a block. For example, from The number is: {{variables.number}} to !!The number is: {{variables.number}}.

And you can use the built-in function the same as the javascript function.

Examples

• Using the built-in function

{{$getLength(table)}} //10

{{$randData("?d?d")}} // 89

{{$getLength(table)}} //10

{{$randData("?d?d")}} // 89

• Get the last table row

{{table[table.length - 1].columnName}}

{{table[table.length - 1].columnName}}

• Get current timestamp

{{Date.now()}} //1666237704022

{{Date.now()}} //1666237704022

• Access loop data and index

// Loop data
{{loopData.loopId.data}}

// Loop index
{{loopData.loopId.$index}}

// Loop data
{{loopData.loopId.data}}

// Loop index
{{loopData.loopId.$index}}