Variables and placeholders

Variables let actions pass values to each other. One action stores a value, a later action uses it. Every macro also gets a few values from the press itself, such as how hard you hit the pad.

Placeholders

Write a variable’s name in double curly braces, like {{velocity}}, in a text field of an action. When the action runs, Lunchpad replaces it with the variable’s current value.

Placeholders work in the text of Text to speech, the program and arguments of Launch application, typed text in a Hotkey sequence, the URL, headers, body and login of an HTTP request, the value of Set variable, the amount of Add to variable, the value of a Condition, the value of Set fader, and the scene, source and filter names of the OBS and Streamlabs actions.

Type {{ in such a field and Lunchpad offers the variables it knows: the built-ins, the variables this button writes, the shared variables and the fader levels.

Note

A placeholder with a name Lunchpad does not know stays in the text as it is. If you see {{something}} in a spoken text or a web request, check the spelling of the variable.

Built-in values

Every macro can read these:

Placeholder	Value
{{velocity}}	How hard the pad was hit, 1 to 127. Models without velocity always report 127.
{{velocity01}}	The same as a number from 0 to 1, for example 0.504.
{{pressure}}	The pressure (aftertouch) on the pad while you hold it, 0 to 127. 0 once released or on models without pressure.
{{pressure01}}	The same as a number from 0 to 1.
{{x}}	The column of the pad, counted from 0 at the left.
{{y}}	The row of the pad, counted from 0 at the bottom.
{{pageId}}	The id of the page the button is on.

A button started by Run another button gets the velocity of the original press.

Your own variables

These actions store values:

• Set variable sets a variable to a text or a placeholder.
• Add to variable adds a number, for counters.
• HTTP request can save the response body under a name, and the status code under the same name with .status added. A request that fails stores an empty body and status 0.
• Launch application can save the program’s output.
• Run script can save its result, and can change variables directly.

Condition reads a variable and runs different actions depending on its value.

Scope: this run or everywhere

When you store a variable, you choose its Scope:

Scope	Who sees it	How long it lives
This run	Only this macro, and the buttons it runs with Run another button.	Until the macro ends.
Everywhere	Every macro on every page.	Across restarts: Lunchpad saves shared variables and loads them again when it starts.

If a variable exists in both scopes, the This run value wins. Avoid the names of the built-in values for your own variables: {{velocity}} always means the press.

Shared variables are listed with their values in the side panel of developer mode.

Tip

A death counter is two buttons: one with Add to variable deaths, amount 1, and one with amount -1, both with scope Everywhere. A third button can say “{{deaths}} deaths so far” with Text to speech.

Faders as variables

Every fader keeps its level in a shared variable named fader. followed by the fader’s name, for example {{fader.volume}}. Any macro can read it.

Writing to that variable with the scope Everywhere moves the fader: Set variable fader.volume to 50, or Add to variable fader.volume with -5, and the fader’s pads and actions follow. With This run the value stays a variable of that macro and the fader does not move.

While a fader runs its own actions, it also provides value, percent, fraction, step, steps and display. See Faders.

Numbers from variables

Volume actions have a From variable field instead of a placeholder. Enter just the name (for example value or fader.volume), or a placeholder. When the variable holds a number, it replaces the slider. When it does not, the slider’s value is used.