 			if (key == null)
 				key = currentRecordKey;
 
-			var result:String;
+			var result:String = '';
 			var column:IAttributeColumn = object as IAttributeColumn;
 			if (column != null)
 			{

			{
				result = StandardLib.asBoolean((object as ILinkableVariable).getSessionState());
			}

			// revert to key that was set when entering the function (in case nested calls modified the static variables)
			currentRecordKey = previousKey;
			if (debug)
				debugTrace('getBoolean',column,key.localName,String(result));
			return result;
		}
		/**
		 * This function uses currentRecordKey when retrieving a value from a column if no key is specified.

		 * @param key A key to get the Number for.
		 * @return The Number corresponding to the given key, normalized to be between 0 and 1.
		 */
		[Deprecated(replacement="WeaveAPI.StatisticsCache.getColumnStatistics(column).getNorm(key)")]
		public static function getNorm(column:IAttributeColumn, key:IQualifiedKey = null):Number
		{
			// remember current key
			var previousKey:IQualifiedKey = currentRecordKey;
