source: SH_SHM/trunk/help/SDEF.HLP @ 206

command SDEF <name>[;<value>]
============

key: define symbol

Defines a new symbol.  If the qualifier /GLOBAL is entered it is created
in the global symbol set, otherwise in the current local symbol set.
The symbol value is initialized to <value>, if <value> is omitted, the
symbol is initialized to a zero-length string.  The length of a symbol name
is restricted to 15 characters, the length of the symbol value to
80 characters.

The local symbol set is saved and restored on each command level, the
global set is not.  That means, the global symbol set is accessable
(reading and writing) from every command level, while the local set
is accessable only from the current level.  Each call of a command file
saves the current local set and creates a new (empty) one, each
RETURN statement deletes the local symbol set and restores the parent one.

If a symbol is defined in both symbol sets, the definition of the
local set takes preference to the definition of the global set.


parameters:

<name>  ---  parameter type: string
   Name of new symbol.  The length of the name is restricted to 15
   characters.

<value>  ---  parameter type: string
   Initialization value of new symbol.  The length of <value> is
   restricted to 80 characters.


qualifiers

/GLOBAL
   The symbol is created in the global symbol set (see above).

/REPLACE
   A previously defined symbol of the same name in the same set is
   deleted before creating the new symbol.

/CHECK
   If the symbol is already defined, the SDEF command is ignored.


Examples:

   SDEF NEWSYM          ! defines local symbol "NEWSYM"

   SDEF NEWSYM 1        ! defines local symbol "NEWSYM" and initialises
                        ! it to "1"

   SDEF/GLOBAL VAL TST  ! defines global symbol "VAL" and initialises
                        ! it to "TST"