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Variables and Folders

Rules Governing Variable Access

Normally, you access a variable by specifying its variable name. The rules in this section apply when you need to reference a variable that is not located in the current folder or to access a variable that has the same name as one or more variables located in other folders.

kVariable Search Priority Sequence

Specifying a variable name to access a variable, searches variables in the following sequence.

(1)Local Variables

(2)Current Folder Variables

(3)“library” Folder Variables

•Multiple variables with the same name can exist simultaneously as a local variable, as a variable in the current folder, and as a variable in the “library” folder. In this case, the ClassPad searches folders according to the sequence shown above and accesses the first instance of the variable that it finds. If you want to access such a variable when it occurs lower in the above priority sequence, you need to specify the folder name along with the variable name as shown in “Specifying a Variable in a Particular Folder” below.

•If a variable you specify cannot be found, it is treated as an “undefined variable”.

•Note that the “system” folder is not included in the above variable search. When accessing a variable in the system folder, you need to specify the variable name only, without specifying the folder name.

Tip

•Local variables exist only as long as the program or user-defined function for which it was created in being executed.

•When a variable search is required during a subroutine called by a program or user-defined function, the local variable search range includes only the local variables of the subroutine currently being executed.

•For information about programs and user-defined functions, see Chapter 12.

•Only local variables and current folder variables are searched in the case of an operation that stores variable data or a command that performs an operation on a variable (like “DelVar”). Normally, “library” folder variables are not searched. If you want to include “library” folders in the search, you need to specify the “library” folder as the variable location as explained below.

kSpecifying a Variable in a Particular Folder

You can access a variable located inside the “main” folder, “library” folder, or a particular user folder by specifying the folder name along with the variable name. Use the following syntax when specifying a folder name:

<folder name>\<variable name>

Example: To specify variable “abc” located in the “main” folder

main\abc

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