LBOUND Function
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------


 Action

 Returns the lower bound (smallest available subscript) for the indicated
 dimension of an array.


 Syntax



  LBOUND( array ,  dimension% )


 Remarks


 The  LBOUND function is used with the  UBOUND function to determine the size
 of an array.  LBOUND takes the following arguments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Argument                                Description
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  array                                  The name of the array variable to
                                         be tested.

 Argument                                Description
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
  dimension%                             An integer ranging from 1 to the
                                         number of dimensions in  array;
                                         indicates which dimension's lower
                                         bound is returned. Use 1 for the
                                         first dimension, 2 for the second
                                         dimension, and so on. This
                                         argument is optional for
                                         one-dimensional arrays.





  LBOUND returns the values listed below for an array with the following
 dimensions.

 DIM A(1 TO 100, 0 TO 3, -3 TO 4)



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Invocation                  Value returned
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 LBOUND(A,1)                 1
 LBOUND(A,2)                 0
 LBOUND(A,3)                 -3




 The default lower bound for any dimension is either 0 or 1, depending on the
 setting of the  OPTION BASE statement. If  OPTION BASE is 0, the default
 lower bound is 0, and if  OPTION BASE is 1, the default lower bound is 1.

 Arrays dimensioned using the  TO clause in the  DIM statement can have any
 integer value as a lower bound.

 You can use the shortened syntax  LBOUND( array) for one-dimensional arrays,
 because the default value for  dimension% is 1. Use the  UBOUND function to
 find the upper limit of an array dimension.


 See Also

  DIM,  OPTION BASE,  UBOUND


 Example

 See the  UBOUND function programming example, which uses the  LBOUND
 function.