# Select Component - Option Values as numbers instead of strings
**URL:** https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558
**Category:** General Help
**Tags:** component
**Created:** [September 27, 2023, 10:28am UTC](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558 "2023-09-27T10:28:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BarryBPS](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/u/BarryBPS)
#### Post date: [September 27, 2023, 10:28am UTC](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558/1 "2023-09-27T10:28:21Z")
I’ve been trying to create an interaction with 5 Select Components with 3 options in each (Do, Might do, Will never do), where I can show differing feedback when the learner chooses mostly one of the options.
I can see that I can ‘Save User Answer to Variable’, but this can only be a String variable and not a Number. I also have the choice to Replace or Concatenate the Variable Save Type.
It would take many triggers to create the logic to check against a concatenated string variable and show feedback based on it.
But, if the variables could be set as numbers and added to, I think it would be easier.
It would appear radio button groups and checkbox groups can only write to string variables too.
Do you think writing to number variables might be available in the future?
Also, is it possible to add to a number variable from within a component? I can do this using triggers if an MCQ is correct or incorrect, but I cannot do this using the Select Components.
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### Author:  [@Mitch](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2023, 10:41am UTC](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558/2 "2023-09-29T10:41:45Z")
Hi Barry
I wanted to do something similar but decided I wasn’t able to get the different feedback to trigger. Are you saying it’s currently possible? How would you trigger the largest variable?
Sorry, not really helping you out here, just asking another question 😃
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### Author:  [@BarryBPS](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/u/BarryBPS)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2023, 11:00am UTC](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558/3 "2023-09-29T11:00:34Z")
Hi Mitch, I’m going to have another try later today, so I will let you know how I get on.
I may need to rethink how to make this screen, as I don’t think Select Components will work in this situation.
I had hoped to use them to set number variables and then use triggers to show the different feedback based on a number range. I would have used a combination of triggers (Component Completed, Variables Changed) to show the feedback. That was the plan, anyway. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Ruppers](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/u/Ruppers)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2023, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558/4 "2023-09-29T12:22:02Z")
Upvote for saving as number variables!
I’m pretty sure the branching component allows you to save to a number variable instead of a string. Might be worth a go.
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### Author:  [@BarryBPS](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/u/BarryBPS)
#### Post date: [September 29, 2023, 12:23pm UTC](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558/5 "2023-09-29T12:23:48Z")
Thanks @Ruppers. I’ll take a look at the branching component, as I did not think to use it for this.
Cheers 🙂
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### Author:  [@Mitch](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/u/Mitch)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2023, 4:13am UTC](https://community.evolveauthoring.com/t/select-component-option-values-as-numbers-instead-of-strings/2558/6 "2023-09-30T04:13:58Z")
Great. Let us know how you go.