# assign\_prefix

The assign\_prefix parameter to many [NATS](https://docs.toomuchmedia.com/additional-resources/common-terms#nats) functions lets you change output variable names. For example, the NATS template function, [nats\_encode ](https://docs.toomuchmedia.com/nats-admin/skins-and-templates/further-reading/template-functions/nats_encode)creates the following variable:

* {$encoded}

Unfortunately, if you already have a Smarty variable named $encoded when you call nats\_encode, the new value overwrites the old value. We designed assign\_prefix to solve this problem. Call nats\_encode with an argument to the assign\_prefix parameter to have all of its output variables prefixed with your argument. For example: the following code,

* {nats\_encode assign\_prefix="myprefix\_"}

puts the output in,

* {$myprefix\_encoded}

You should be able to use assign\_prefix on any NATS template function that emits a variable.