# Attributes and Constants

### Attribute References

To refer to an attribute by name, precede the name with “$”. For example,

> `$Width`

refers to the width of this note, and the action

> `$Width=7;`

will set its width to 7.

To refer to the value of an attribute of a different note, follow the attribute name with a designator in parentheses. For example,

> `$Width(parent)`

refers to the width of the parent of this note,

> `$Width(Burbank)`

refers to the width of the note named "Burbank", and

> `$Width(/people/Roosevelt)`

refers to the width of the note named "Roosevelt" that is inside the container named "people".

Tinderbox provides a rich list of designators for use with attribute references.

### Constants

Enclose string values in either (straight) single or double quotes:

> `$Name="Theodore Roosevelt"`

Double quotes are preferred; use single quotes when the quoted string contains double quotes.

> `$Name='She said, "Hello," before I had time to think.'`

Date constants are best expressed using the date operator:

> `date("today")`

> `date(12,25,1917)`

Color constants can be expressed using string equivalents, such as "red", "#FF9900", or "RGB(255,255,255)".

The boolean constants `true` and `false` are not quoted.

false | the boolean value `false`
"false" | a five-letter word