https://faq.i3wm.org/questions/Frequently asked questions and answers about the i3 window managerenCopyright i3, 2012Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:17:27 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/If have the following in my configuration: set $base02 #073642 set $base01 #586e75 set $base00 #ff0000 set $base0 #0000ff # border background text indicator client.unfocused $base01 $base02 $base0 $base01 The result is that border, background and text are `#0000ff`. The value of `$base00`, `$base01` and `$base02` is overwritten by the definition of `$base0`. If I move the definition of `$base0` in front of the other definitions it works as expected. Whats the rationale behind this behaviour? I'm using i3 version 4.2 (2012-04-25, branch "release-4.2"). **EDIT** Removed unused reference to $yellow, because it was not relevant to the question. Sorry for the confusion.Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:03:23 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?answer=573#post-id-573You are slightly wrong: The result is the following: ERROR: CONFIG: syntax error, unexpected $undefined ERROR: CONFIG: in file "/tmp/570.cfg", line 153: ERROR: CONFIG: client.unfocused #0000ff1 #0000ff2 #0000ff $yellow ERROR: CONFIG: ^ As you can see, since you have a variable called `$base0`, that is being replaced in **$base0**1 and we get **#0000ff**1. If you reverse the order of your variable keywords, it works as expected: set $base0 #0000ff set $base02 #073642 set $base01 #586e75 set $base00 #ff0000 # border background text indicator client.unfocused $base01 $base02 $base0 $yellow leads to: ERROR: CONFIG: client.unfocused #586e75 #073642 #0000ff $yellow (`$yellow` unfixed so I can demonstrate the other replacements working properly) This is kinda intentional — the variable mechanism is kept simple, with all the side-effects that has.Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:14:44 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?answer=573#post-id-573https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?comment=574#comment-574Sorry, I still don't get it. I forgot to remove the $yellow from the example, my bad, I changed the question accordingly. Why does $base0 overwrite $base01, from my understanding this are two different names. If $a is defined after, say $ab, then that changes $ab to the same value as $a. Mon, 01 Oct 2012 19:24:31 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?comment=574#comment-574https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?comment=589#comment-589$base0 does not overwrite anything else. It’s just the order in which the variables are replaced.Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:15:58 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?comment=589#comment-589https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?comment=590#comment-590I’ve updated the formatting of the answer to make the problem more clear. Maybe that helps.Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:17:27 +0000https://faq.i3wm.org/question/570/similarly-named-variables-override-each-other/?comment=590#comment-590