Feature Request: Enhanced Variable Handling with Programmable Expressions
Feature Request: Enhanced Variable Handling with Programmable Expressions
1 vote
Hello,
I would like to submit a feature request regarding variable handling in Devolutions (RDM / Devolutions Server). From a more developer-oriented perspective, it would be extremely useful to have extended variable capabilities similar to programming languages.
1. Accessing Sub-Properties of Entries (Dictionary-like Access)
I was wondering whether it would be possible to reference sub-properties of an entry similar to how dictionaries or objects work in programming languages.
For example, if a credential entry is named:
Testuser
It would be very helpful to access specific properties directly, such as:
Testuser.password
Testuser.username
Testuser.domain
This would allow much more flexible and reusable configurations when building dynamic session entries.
If such functionality is not currently possible, I would like to formally suggest it as a feature enhancement.
2. Dynamic Naming Based on Parent Folder
We have a structure like this:
Folder:
b-data
Session entries below:
be-data01
be-data02
be-data03
This list is growing over time.
It would be very helpful if we could build entry names dynamically using variables, for example:
$PARENT_NAME$ + incremental number
This would reduce manual configuration effort and improve scalability when managing many similar entries.
3. String Manipulation / Substring Support in Variables
Another real-world example:
System name:
be-cdc01Web URL:
be-cdc.domain.com
It would be extremely useful if we could manipulate variables directly, for example:
$PARENT_NAME$[-last two characters].domain.com
or more generically:
- substring operations
- trimming characters
- basic string replacement
- simple expressions
This would make variable handling significantly more powerful and flexible, especially in larger environments with structured naming conventions.
Summary
In short, I would like to suggest:
- Property access for entries (e.g., EntryName.Property)
- Support for string manipulation in variables
- Basic expression support in variable handling
- More programmable, developer-style variable logic
This would greatly improve automation and reduce repetitive manual configuration, especially in growing infrastructures.
Thank you for considering this request.
All Comments (1)
Hello,
I'd like to have more information as to what you're trying to accomplish and how you're currently using variables and other features we have, to better understand what's lacking and your needs. I have a few possible solutions as well, and I'd like your opinion on them.
The first thing that stands out to me, is that these requests feel more in line with scripting. In entries, we have a "before opening" event to run Powershell before the entry is opened. This means you could replace certain fields with other values by using Powershell. For example, if you need to do substring replacement to get the value of your host, this could be done through that event.
You can read more about this here: https://docs.devolutions.net/rdm/kb/how-to-articles/execute-powershell-connection/
For dynamic entry naming, I don't think it would be possible as there's no way for RDM to know which entry comes first, and thus which number to use. Using a variable like you are, as well as the setting to configure how to handle entry names when duplicating could work well for you, assuming you're creating these entries manually. You can find this in File > Settings > Entry types:
Alternatively, you could also use the Powershell module to create entries, as that could allow you more flexibility and allow creating them in batches.
As for accessing properties, that's what variables do at their core. If there's some specific variables that are missing, we could definitely add them. Though, again, if you need to perform more complex manipulations, using Powershell through the "before opening" feature or the Powershell module if you need to create and modify entries might be a better solution.
Let me know what you think.
Regards,
Hubert Mireault
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