Where do I put variables? Multiple .rpy files?

[Anarchy]

I'm a little bit confused on where we're supposed to put our variables. Should they go before the start label, or inside the start label? Because once I put all my variables before the start label, and somewhere down the line the game spit back "variable not defined" at me, even though it had already been defined at the beginning. So I moved all my variables to inside the start label instead, which solved the problem, but then the problem was that when I started the game from a load later on in the script, the game skipped the start label and all the variables inside it, meaning that I encountered the "variable not defined" problem again.

Also, can I get some general information/advice on how to script in multiple .rpy files? I've only ever used one .rpy file before, so I don't know if I have to define my variables and characters in every single .rpy file? Or can I leave all my variables and characters and assets in one .rpy file, and break down my script into multiple .rpy files? Any general tips on how to organize a really, really long script with tons of menus/variables?

[SundownKid]

So I moved all my variables to inside the start label instead, which solved the problem, but then the problem was that when I started the game from a load later on in the script, the game skipped the start label and all the variables inside it, meaning that I encountered the "variable not defined" problem again.

You will have to restart the game and make those saves again in order to make the variables work correctly.

Also, can I get some general information/advice on how to script in multiple .rpy files? I've only ever used one .rpy file before, so I don't know if I have to define my variables and characters in every single .rpy file? Or can I leave all my variables and characters and assets in one .rpy file, and break down my script into multiple .rpy files? Any general tips on how to organize a really, really long script with tons of menus/variables?

Each .rpy file acts as if they were all one big file. So, you can break apart your script, images, transforms, etc. over multiple files with no difference than if it were all in one large one. In fact, that's basically necessary for any medium-to-long length visual novel.

You can organize it by days in the script, scenes, chronologically or by location, et cetera.

[Hiddlestoners]

Should they go before the start label, or inside the start label?

For me I've always gone before the start label and used an init before typing in what my variables are. Seems to work for me.