this is SO frustrating. I must be stupid for not getting this right.

I need to use a string, because it's an invoice, when the value = 000001 i need te 0's to be present, and some invoices could contain non numerics.

i gave the variable initial value of 666666 and used cast (varchar(10)) in my script - NO LUCK

then i added new variable (newtest) - int32 initial value = 160.

Selected a straight value in the scrip = select cast(100 as int) as newtest.

linked the resultset newtest to variable newtest - at runtime the variable's value is 160. so it takes the initial value, but never overwrites it at execution.