LEN Function
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 Action

 Returns the number of characters in a string or the number of bytes required
 by a variable.


 Syntax 1

  LEN( stringexpression$)

 Syntax 2

  LEN( variable)


 Remarks


 In the first form,  LEN returns the number of characters in the argument
 stringexpression$. The second syntax returns the number of bytes required by
 a BASIC variable. This syntax is particularly useful for determining the
 correct record size of a random-access file.

 When you pass a string length as an argument to a procedure that may change
 the value of the argument, be sure to pass it by value instead of by
 reference, which is the BASIC default. Do this by placing parentheses around
 LEN(N$), e.g.,(LEN(N%)). Alternatively, you can use a temporary variable,
 e.g. N% = LEN(N$), and pass the temporary variable in the standard way.
 Failure to use these techniques will corrupt string space if you change the
 value of the passed argument.


 Example

 The following example prints the length of a string and the size in bytes of
 several types of variables.

 CLS    ' Clear screen.

 TYPE EmpRec

    EmpName AS STRING * 20

    EmpNum AS INTEGER

 END TYPE

 DIM A AS INTEGER, B AS LONG, C AS SINGLE, D AS DOUBLE

 DIM E AS EmpRec



 PRINT "A string." LEN("A string.")

 PRINT "Integer." LEN(A)

 PRINT "Long." LEN(B)

 PRINT "Single." LEN(C)

 PRINT "Double." LEN(D)

 PRINT "EmpRec." LEN(E)

 END



 Output

 A string. 9


 Integer. 2

 Long. 4

 Single. 4

 Double. 8

 EmpRec. 22