Specifications

Chapter 5. Data Types

5.5 Scope of Variables

You may scope work variables and register variables to be local or global with the PRIVATE

or GLOBAL statement, respectively.

(5) Global variables

A global variable can be accessed by any routine in source files to share information

between those routines. Before access to it, you need to declare it with the

GLOBAL

statement.

(6) Local variables

A local variable can only be accessed by any routine in a source file where it is defined.

Before access to it, you need to declare it with the

PRIVATE statement.

(7) Variables not declared to be global or local

If not declared to be global or local, a variable is closed in each file where it is defined.

A variable used inside the FUNCTION or SUB function without declaration is available

only within a function where it is defined.

You may also share variables between user programs when one program chains to another by

declaring variables to be common with the

COMMON statement.

5.5.1 Global Variables

A global variable can be shared between source files in a program. In each file where you want

to use a particular global variable, write

GLOBAL preceding a desired variable name or

DEFREG statement.

(Example)

GLOBAL aaa%

GLOBAL bbb$[10]

GLOBAL ccc$(5,3)[30]

GLOBAL DEFREG ddd

GLOBAL DEFREG eee%(5)

(Example 1) To share the variable aa% between Files 1 and 2, define aa% by using the GLO-

BAL

statement in each file as follows:

File 1

File 2

GLOBAL aa% GLOBAL aa%

Before access to a global variable, you should define it.