User Guide

Chapter 16400
To set a value in a property list, do one of the following:
• Use the equals (=) operator. (You can also use the setAProp command, which was introduced
in earlier versions of Director.)
For example, the statement
foodList[#Bruno] = "sushi" makes sushi the new value
associated with the property Bruno.
• Use dot syntax.
• For example, the statement foodList.Bruno = "sushi" makes sushi the new value
associated with the property Bruno in the list
foodList.
To retrieve a value in a property list, do one of the following:
• Use the list variable followed by the name of the property associated with the value. Place
square brackets around the property. (You can also use the getaProp or getAt commands, or
the
getPropAt() function, which were introduced in earlier versions of Director.)
For example, in the property list foodList = [#breakfast:"Waffles", #lunch:"Tofu
Burger", #dinner:"Hungarian Goulash"]
, the expression foodList[#breakfast]
represents the value associated with the property
#breakfast. The value is Waffles.
• Use dot syntax.
For example, using the foodList property list above, foodList.breakfast represents the
value Waffles.
Checking items in a list
You can determine the characteristics of a list and the number of items the list contains by
using the following commands and functions. See entries for individual commands in the
Lingo Dictionary.
• To display the contents of a list, use the put command followed by the variable that
contains the list.
• To determine the number of items in a list, use the count() function.
• To determine a list’s type, use the ilk() function.
• To determine the maximum value in a list, use the max() function.
• To determine the minimum value in a list, use the min() function.
• To determine the position of a specific property, use the findPos, findPosNear, or getOne
command.