Imacros - Extract and select multiple items from selector via predefined variable - extract

Question

I'm trying to EXTRACT some content from a table to be used for selecting items on a select multiple box.
This works fine:
VERSION BUILD=9030808 RECORDER=FX
TAB T=1
URL GOTO=https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml_select_multiple
FRAME NAME="iframeResult"
TAG POS=1 TYPE=SELECT FORM=ACTION:/action_page.php ATTR=NAME:cars CONTENT=%volvo:%opel
How come that when creating the extract content as a variable, then it does not work:
The variable called SET CARS volvo:%opel
VERSION BUILD=9030808 RECORDER=FX
TAB T=1
URL GOTO=https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml_select_multiple
FRAME NAME="iframeResult"
SET CARS volvo:%opel
TAG POS=1 TYPE=SELECT FORM=ACTION:/action_page.php ATTR=NAME:cars CONTENT=%{{CARS}}
Error message:
Entry [volvo:%opel] not available [Box has 4 entries], line: 6 (Error code: -924)

Answer 1

In addition I can suggest another way:
' ... '
FRAME NAME="iframeResult"
SET CARS "volvo,opel"
EVENT TYPE=CLICK XPATH=EVAL("'//HTML/BODY/FORM/SELECT/OPTION[#value=\\'' + '{{CARS}}'.split(',')[0] + '\\']';") BUTTON=0 MODIFIERS="ctrl"
EVENT TYPE=CLICK XPATH=EVAL("'//HTML/BODY/FORM/SELECT/OPTION[#value=\\'' + '{{CARS}}'.split(',')[1] + '\\']';") BUTTON=0 MODIFIERS="ctrl"
According to the wiki documentation you have to write the code like this:
' ... '
FRAME NAME="iframeResult"
SET CAR1 "volvo"
SET CAR2 "opel"
TAG POS=1 TYPE=SELECT FORM=ACTION:/action_page.php ATTR=NAME:cars CONTENT=%{{CAR1}}:%{{CAR2}}

Answer 2

Found a way using the script interface. Simply add the list of items to select usign JS:
function createMultiSelector(list) {
macro = "CODE:";
macro += "URL GOTO=https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tryit.asp?filename=tryhtml_select_multiple\n";
macro += "FRAME = 'iframeResult'\n";
macro += "TAG POS=1 TYPE=SELECT FORM=ACTION:/action_page.php ATTR=NAME:cars CONTENT=%"+list+"\n";
iret = iimPlay(macro);
}