How to manually define a variable in Zebra Programming Language? (ZPL)

Question

I'm programming in ZPL and I need to define a variable manually. A simple Hello World Example:

^XA
^FO,20,10^ADN,40,25^FDHello World^FS
^XZ

I want to be able to:

SET $HW$ = Hello World
^XA
^FO,20,10^ADN,40,25^FD$HW$^FS
^XZ

I read the Zebra documentation and it talks only about its use in ZebraDesigner Pro, but I must define it with code, not with graphical mode. And the variables like $CODEDATA$, SVERSION$ are not working automatically here. Then, how can I define a variable in ZPL?

Solution

Here is a way to do what you are looking for. Store a format with a variable. ^FN11 is the variable in the stored format. I'm storing the format on the internal flash (E:) I've named the stored format STORE.ZPL

^XA
^DFE:STORE.ZPL^FS
^FO,20,10^ADN,40,25^FH\^FN11^^FS
^XZ

I then recall the format and set the variable

^XA
^XFE:STORE.ZPL^FS
^FN11Hello World^FS
^XZ

Comments

[Marcelo Camargo]

Well, I solved it by designing a compiler that supports dependent types and compiles to ZPL: github.com/capybara-language

[Marcelo Camargo]

ZPL is defined by its oficial documentation as a programming language and by any official document. A programming language doens't need to be turing complete to be a PL. ;)

[Marcelo Camargo]

I'm using purely ZPL. I created an IDE to develop in it and I aim to let it available on Github, but I was just searching a way to do it in pure ZPL code, no Java, C#, Scheme, Clojure and derivates. That is a pitty I can't.