DIM (string function)

Dimension String Function

This string function creates a temporary string variable, with no name, of a specified length with an optional preset value for use in comparisons.

Syntax

DIM (length [,value] [,ERR=line-ref|,ERC=error-code])

length

is an integer in the range of 0 to 65000 specifying the number of characters represented by this function.

value

is any string whose value is repeated to the length specified; if omitted, the default is space.

line-ref

is the program line number or label to branch to if an error is produced by this function.

error-code

is a programmer-defined error code. Valid values are positive or negative whole numbers.

Remarks

Specifying a length of 0 effectively represents a null string (string with no data and 0 length).

Examples

IF STRING4$ = DIM (LEN (STRING4$), "ABCD")

tests STRING4$ for the character sequence “ABCD”. STRING4$ = “A”, “AB”, “ABC”, “ABCD”, “ABCDA”, “ABCDAB”, (etc.), evaluate as true conditions.

IF UNKNOWN$ = DIM (LEN (UNKNOWN$), "*")

tests UNKNOWN$ for all asterisks, regardless of the length of UNKNOWN$.

IF MAYBE_SPACES$ = DIM (LEN (MAYBE_SPACES$) )

tests MAYBE_SPACES$ for all spaces, regardless of its length.

See also

DIM numeric array, DIM string array, and DIM string directives
PAD function

From the Thoroughbred Basic Language Reference, Volume I: A–E, version 8.9.1. Open this page in the PDF