# Evaluate properties in initial value of Dynamic Property

**URL:** <https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/evaluate-properties-in-initial-value-of-dynamic-property/3734>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [March 8, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/evaluate-properties-in-initial-value-of-dynamic-property/3734 "2011-03-08T22:48:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bobd](https://forum.vassalengine.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@bobd](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/bobd)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 10:48pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/evaluate-properties-in-initial-value-of-dynamic-property/3734/1 "2011-03-08T22:48:45Z")

</div>

Currently the initial value of a dynamic property does not have any $properties$ expanded but if any key press sets the value directly or prompts the user for a value then $properties$ in this value will be expanded.

This seems inconsistent (and it is stopping me doing what I want to do 😃 )  
Bob

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tim\_M](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/tim_m/32/2_2.png) [@Tim\_M](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/Tim_M)\
**Post date:** [March 8, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/evaluate-properties-in-initial-value-of-dynamic-property/3734/2 "2011-03-08T23:05:42Z")

</div>

What are you trying to do?

-----Original Message-----  
From: [messages-bounces@vassalengine.org](mailto:messages-bounces@vassalengine.org)  
[[mailto:messages-bounces@vassalengine.org](mailto:messages-bounces@vassalengine.org)] On Behalf Of bobd  
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 4:49 PM  
To: [messages@vassalengine.org](mailto:messages@vassalengine.org)  
Subject: [messages] [Feature Requests] Evaluate properties in initial  
valueof Dynamic Property

Currently the initial value of a dynamic property does not have any  
$properties$ expanded but if any key press sets the value directly or  
prompts the user for a value then $properties$ in this value will be  
expanded.

This seems inconsistent (and it is stopping me doing what I want to do  
😃 )  
Bob

* * *

Read this topic online here:  
[https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/evaluate-properties-in-initial-value-of-dynamic-property/3734/1](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/evaluate-properties-in-initial-value-of-dynamic-property/3734/1)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bobd](https://forum.vassalengine.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@bobd](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/bobd)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 11:06am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/evaluate-properties-in-initial-value-of-dynamic-property/3734/3 "2011-03-09T11:06:36Z")

</div>

I wanted a text label that would display the piece name when in the game piece palette. It should be set to empty when on the map as the map will be zoomed and I will be using the mouse over stack viewer to identify pieces.

I intended to have a text label whose value was a dynamic property with the dynamic property having an initial value of $PieceName$ and a key command to set the value to empty, the key command being triggered by movement ending on the map.

Unfortunately my cunning plan doesn’t work as the text label displays ‘$PieceName$’ rather than the actual name of the piece.