From:	SMTP%"RELAY-INFO-VAX@CRVAX.SRI.COM"  7-JUN-1994 12:20:04.62
To:	EVERHART
CC:	
Subj:	Re: How to save a symbol to another using index'I' ?

Message-Id: <9406070103.AA00483@unix.sri.com>
Date: 6 Jun 94 19:49:00 CST
From: "SL1001::I000005" <I000005%SL1001.decnet@mdcgwy.mdc.com>
Subject: Re: How to save a symbol to another using index'I' ?
To: "INFO-VAX" <INFO-VAX@SRI.COM>

      Arne Vajhoej <ARNE@kopc.hhs.dk> writes:

>> =The rule says:
>> =
>> =                            commands          ordinary variables
>> =local definitions              :=                     =
>> =global definitions            :==                    ==
>> =
>> =And since you are not defining commands, then you should not use the ":" !
>> 
>> Nope.  The rule says, "If you're value you're assigning is quoted text or
>> another variable, use `=';
>
>75% rigth.

	which rule were that ?

	newvar := "''oldvar'"
	same as 
	newvar = oldvar 

BTW, the former is ugly but the symbol   key_var[0,12] := ""''somevar'" 
can be used to create fixed length variables suitable for reading indexed 
files by key from dcl. (as if anyone else wants to do that...)

 

>
>1) Quoted text can be assigned with both "=" and ":=".
>2) Variables must be assigned with "=" to function as expected.
>
>>                            otherwise use `:='."  For example, it's perfectly
>> legitimate to use:
>
>Why use that extra colon in f.ex.:
>
>x:=1
>

If you want x to be a string = "1" instead of an integer = 1, thats fine!
			

basically HELP sez:
	 := assigns string variables to a variable
	  = assigns string or numeric values to a variable




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    | John Hartfield      |  I000005%10504.decnet@mdcgwy.mdc.com|
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    |     	 This space unintentionally left unblank        |
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