CODEWITHSUNDEEP
robotframework
rook218
rook218

Reputation: 672

Instantiate empty list in Robot Framework?

In the Robot Framework user guide, it states a variable value is a list or list-like, it is also possible to use it as a list variable like @{EXAMPLE} and There is also an empty list variable @{EMPTY} but I am not able to create an empty list. In the minimally reproducible example below, no matter how I set it up I get the error, TypeError: Expected argument 1 to be a list or list-like, got string instead in my test case. How can I create an empty list that doesn't re-assign itself to be a string?

*** Settings ***
Library             Collections
Suite Setup         Re-instantiate List

*** Variables ***
@{shouldBeList}=    @{EMPTY}

*** Test Cases ***
Add something to the list
    Collections.Append to list      @{shouldBeList}     Test

*** Keywords ***
Re-instantiate List
    @{shouldBeList}=    Create List     ${EMPTY}
    Set Suite Variable  @{shouldBeList}     @{shouldBeList}


# Results:
# Add something to the list                        | FAIL |
# TypeError: Expected argument 1 to be a list or list-like, got string instead.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 4257

Answers (1)

rook218
rook218

Reputation: 672

I should have read the user guide more closely.

All variables should be assigned using the ${var} syntax, including lists and dicts. The @{var} and &{var} syntax should be used when you want to unpack the ${var}, using the @ symbol if it's list-like and & if it's dict-like.

My above code works when written as:

*** Settings ***
Library             Collections
Suite Setup         Re-instantiate List

*** Variables ***

*** Test Cases ***
Add something to the list
    Collections.Append to list      ${shouldBeList}     Test

*** Keywords ***
Re-instantiate List
    ${shouldBeList}=    Create List
    Set Suite Variable  @{shouldBeList}     @{shouldBeList}

Upvotes: 3

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