(Newbie) : layout:set:append issue

EE’s layout variables are only ‘instantiated’ when the template processing is completed - so you cannot access them from within the same template that they are created within.

Separately there is an issue in your template layout - the ‘no results’ block needs to be within the Channel Entries tag pair.

Two solutions:

• Since you actually have the information you need in the template (to set the layout variables) one option is to skip the layout variables and simply use the channel entries data directly
• If you need the layout variables later in the template development sequence then you need to put a step from one layout template to a second into your template - all the layout variables you define in the first part will be available in the second.

If you went down the first path you would end up with something like this:

{exp:channel:entries channel='Administrator'  paginate="bottom"}
 {if no_results} 
  There are no registered administrators.
 {/if} 
{if count == 1}
   <table class="table table-hover">
       <thead>
           <tr>
               <th scope="col">First name</th>
               <th scope="col">Last name</th>
               <th scope="col">Username</th>
               <th scope="col"></th>
         </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
{/if}
        <tr>
            <td>{admin_first_name}</td>
            <td>test</td>
            <td>test</td>
        </tr>
{if count == total_results}
    </tbody>
</table>
{/if}
{/exp:channel:entries}

HTH

?

@JCOGS Design - Thanks very much for your help & explanations.

K.