Variables A variable is a name that refers to an object--a particular number, string, or record. (A record is a variable declared to be a user-defined type.) - Simple variables refer to a single number, string, or record. - Array variables refer to a group of objects, all of the same type. A numeric variable, whether simple or array, can be assigned only a numeric value (either integer, long integer, single precision, or double precision). A string variable can be assigned only a character-string value. You can assign one record variable to another only if both variables are the same user-defined type. However, you can always assign individual elements of a record to a variable of the corresponding type. The following list shows some examples of variable assignments: - A constant value: A = 4.5 - The value of another string or numeric variable: B$ = "ship of fools" A$ = B$ Profits = NetEarnings - The value of a record element: TYPE EmployeeRec FullName AS STRING * 25 SocSec AS STRING * 9 END TYPE DIM CurrentEmp AS EmployeeRec . . . OutSocSec$=CurrentEmp.SocSec - The value of one record variable to another record variable of the same type: TYPE FileBuffer FullName AS STRING * 25 JobClass AS INTEGER END TYPE DIM Buffer1 AS FileBuffer DIM Buffer2 AS FileBuffer . . . Buffer2 = Buffer1 - The value obtained by combining other variables, constants, and operators: CONST PI = 3.141593 Conversion = 180 / PI TempFile$ = FileSpec$+".BAK" In any case, the variable must always match the type of data (numeric or string) assigned to it. Note: Before a variable is assigned a value, its value is assumed to be zero (for numeric variables) or null (for string variables). All fields in a record, including string fields, are initialized to zero. See Also