AnyStash

Examples · Variables

Global variables

What you’ll build

Two shortcuts that share Key Path @General.todayFocus (for example Deep work): Set Today Focus writes with Set Global Variable; Get Today Focus reads with Get Global Variable and shows the result. Running them as separate shortcuts is the point—any later shortcut can Get the same tag for notifications or other actions.

Why not Shortcuts Set Variable / Get Variable?

Built-in Shortcuts Set Variable and Get Variable (and magic variables) mainly pass values inside one run of one shortcut. When that run ends, they are not a durable store you can rely on tomorrow—or from another shortcut.

A name you Set in shortcut A is not a shared library that shortcut B can Get. Magic variables also cannot jump across shortcuts.

Set Global Variable / Get Global Variable in AnyStash write to the app’s persistent store. Any shortcut that calls Get with the same Key Path can read it, and you can view the same value in the app’s Variables tab. Key Paths use @Module.key (this example: @General.todayFocus). Full syntax: Support → Concepts.

This example is short—build the two shortcuts below (no import link). Run Set Today Focus first, then Get Today Focus.

Build it yourself

  1. Shortcut 1 — Set Today Focus: New shortcut → search AnyStash → add Set Global Variable (not the Text-only variant). Key Path: @General.todayFocus. Choose Text (or Auto) and enter a sample value such as Deep work.

    Optional: to pass a value from another action in the same shortcut, long-press Value and choose that magic variable (or Select Variable).

    Set Global Variable with Key Path @General.todayFocus and Text value
    Set Global Variable + Key Path

  2. Shortcut 2 — Get Today Focus: Create a second shortcut. Add Get Global Variable with the same Key Path, then Show Result.

    Get Global Variable with the same Key Path and Show Result
    Get Global Variable + Show Result

Try it

Run the shortcuts after building—Set first, then Get.

  1. Run Set Today Focus.

  2. Run Get Today Focus and confirm the result shows your focus tag.

View in the app

Use the app only to confirm what Shortcuts wrote—you do not need to create the variable in the Variables UI for this example.

  1. Open AnyStash → Variables and confirm todayFocus (under General / the matching Key Path) shows the same value.

    AnyStash Variables tab showing todayFocus under General
    Variables tab — view todayFocus

Key Path: @General.todayFocus — module General, key todayFocus. More rules and examples: Concepts.

Next