I've tried that before, and it never seems to work for me. So, I just assumed it couldn't be done.
Not sure when you were trying, but there was an issue (solved) awhile ago involving CAPS usage in Integer names, and it would definitely throw off your learning curve if you happened to use CAPS in a variable name while trying to learn about variables and/or converting during that time.
Otherwise, it could have been any number of misunderstandings. It's a deep rabbit hole, isn't it? I also knew little about scripting and programming, and learned over the years bit by bit. Coming into the middle can make it hard, but stick with it and keep challenging yourself to make more complex ideas into a reality. Plenty of helpful people here on the forums, I've always found what I need by searching here, or in the manual, and then trial-and-error. Use those "write to log" bits like in my example, they help you learn and see what goes wrong and where, and sometimes why.
I used the Small integer ... I'm not dealing with large numbers
There are other reasons to use Integers only, and sure, you may not use them now, but they are easier to us in algebraic functions because the divide by / multiply (Computed value) options are in the Integer GUI itself, and anytime you can lessen the number of lines in a command, the better. Efficiency and simplicity - Integers FTW.
All profiles start small, and grow over time as you really get into VoiceAttack. I've been doing this for over 2 years now, and my profile includes multi-part commands so long, I have to edit them outside VoiceAttack in a notepad if I wish to add a new word to the "when I say" part of the command, but it's better than having dozens of commands (turn on this, turn on that, turn on those, turn on these, and on and on)
Small Integers will be gone someday, not sure if profiles will need to be re-done when that happens, but I spent a fair bit of time finally changing all usage of Sm.Int's to Integers in my Elite Dangerous profile, and it was exhausting. I literally wrote macros to handle the task, and sat by watching for 30 minutes per run while it flip-flopped between NP++ and VA's GUI's automagically getting my work done (like watching Data from Star Trek input on a console). I think there were over 12 runs like that.
But if you start before your personal profile gets big, and get into good habits when you are new, it will be easier than taking on a big "fixit" job later.
(edit: Learn the basics of scripting and programming in this great post by Pfeil:
http://voiceattack.com/SMF/index.php?topic=732.0 )