Variables

Variables may be of any basic data type, or a custom type. A variable's type is determined by a special character that follows its identifier.

Variable Types

These special characters are called type tags and are:

• % = Integer variables

• # = Floating point variables

• $ = String variables

• .{typename} = Custom type variables

Here are some examples of valid variables:

• Score%

• speed#

• name$

• player.Player

The type tag only needs to be added the first time you use a variable, after that you can leave the type tag off if you wish.

If you don't supply a type tag the first time a variable is used, the variable defaults to an integer.

It is illegal to use the same variable name with a different type. For example, if you already have an integer variable called name%, it is illegal to also have a string variable called name$.

Setting Variables

The = keyword is used to assign a value to a variable. For example: score%=0 will assign the value 0 to the integer variable score.

Variable Scope

Variables may also be either Global, or Local. This refers to where in a program a variable may be used.

• Global variables can be used from anywhere in the program.

• Local variables can only be used within the function they are created in.

The Global keyword is used to define one or more global variables. For example:

Global Score=0,Lives=3,Player_up=1

Defines 3 global variables.

Similarly, Local is used to define local variables:

Local temp_x=x,temp_y=y

If you use a variable without defining it as either local or global, it defaults to being local.