Set Flow Variable Values from a Visualforce Page

The following table lists the ways you can set a flow’s variable, record variable, and record collection variable values using Visualforce.

Method	Variables	Record Variables	Collection Variables	Record Collection Variables
Without a controller
With a standard controller
With a standard List controller
With a custom Apex controller
With an Interview Map

Setting Variable Values without a Controller

This example sets myVariable to the value 01010101 when the interview starts.

<apex:page>
    <flow:interview name="flowname">
        <apex:param name="myVariable" value="01010101"/>
    </flow:interview>
</apex:page>

Setting Variable Values with a Standard Controller

You can use standard Visualforce controllers to set variables by passing in data from a record. This example sets the initial value of myVariable to the Visualforce expression {!account} when the interview starts.

<apex:page standardController="Account" tabStyle="Account">
    <flow:interview name="flowname">
        <apex:param name="myVariable" value="{!account}"/>
    </flow:interview>
</apex:page>

Setting a Record Collection Variable Value with a Standard List Controller

Because record collection variables represent an array of values, you must use a standard list controller or a custom Apex controller. This example sets myCollection to the value of {!accounts} when the interview starts.

<apex:page standardController="Account" tabStyle="Account" recordSetVar="accounts">
    <flow:interview name="flowname">
        <apex:param name="myCollection" value="{!accounts}"/>
    </flow:interview>
</apex:page>

Setting Variable Values with a Custom Apex Controller

For finer control over your Visualforce page than a standard controller allows, write a custom Apex controller that sets the variable value, and then reference that controller in your Visualforce page. This example uses Apex to set myVariable to a specific account’s Id when the interview starts.

public class MyCustomController {
    public Account apexVar {get; set;}

    public MyCustomController() {
        apexVar = [
            SELECT Id, Name FROM Account
            WHERE Name = 'Acme' LIMIT 1];
    }
}

<apex:page controller="MyCustomController">
    <flow:interview name="flowname">
        <apex:param name="myVariable" value="{!apexVar}"/>
    </flow:interview>
</apex:page>

This example uses Apex to set a record collection variable myAccount to the Id and Name field values for every record with a Name of Acme.

public class MyCustomController {
    public Account[] myAccount { 
        get {
            return [ 
                SELECT Id, Name FROM account 
                WHERE Name = 'Acme'
                ORDER BY Id
            ] ;
        }
        set {
            myAccount = value;
        }
    }
    public MyCustomController () {
    }
}

<apex:page id="p" controller="MyCustomController">
    <flow:interview id="i" name="flowname">
        <apex:param name="accountColl" value="{!myAccount}"/>
    </flow:interview>
</apex:page>

Setting Variable Values with an Interview Map

This example uses an Interview map to set the value for accVar to a specific account’s Id when the interview starts.

public class MyCustomController {
    public Flow.Interview.TestFlow myflow { get; set; }

     public MyCustomController() {
        Map<String, Object> myMap = new Map<String, Object>();
        myMap.put('accVar', [SELECT Id FROM Account 
                             WHERE Name = 'Acme' LIMIT 1]);
        myflow = new Flow.Interview.ModemTroubleShooting(myMap);
    }
}

<apex:page controller="MyCustomController">
    <flow:interview name="flowname" interview="{!myflow}"/>
</apex:page>

Here’s a similar example that sets the value for accVar to a new account when the interview starts.

public class MyCustomController {
    public Flow.Interview.TestFlow myflow { get; set; }

     public MyCustomController() {
        Map<String, List<Object>> myMap = new Map<String, List<Object>>();
        myMap.put('accVar', new Account(name = 'Acme'));
        myflow = new Flow.Interview.ModemTroubleShooting(myMap);
    }
}

<apex:page controller="MyCustomController">
    <flow:interview name="flowname" interview="{!myflow}"/>
</apex:page>

public class MyCustomController {
    public Flow.Interview.flowname MyInterview { get; set; }

    public MyCustomController() {
        String[] value1 = new String[]{'First', 'Second'};
        Double[] value2 = new Double[]{999.123456789, 666.123456789};
        Map<String, Object> myMap = new Map<String, Object>();
        myMap.put('stringCollVar', value1);
        myMap.put('numberCollVar', value2);
        MyInterview = new Flow.Interview.flowname(myMap);
    }
}

<apex:page controller="MyCustomController">
    <flow:interview name="flowname" interview="{!MyInterview}" />
</apex:page>