◄Syntax►  ◄Details►  ◄Example►                 ◄Contents►  ◄Index►  ◄Back►
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
DEFtype sets the default data type for variables, DEF FN functions, and
FUNCTION procedures.
 
DEFINT letterrange [,letterrange]...
DEFLNG letterrange [,letterrange]...
DEFSNG letterrange [,letterrange]...
DEFDBL letterrange [,letterrange]...
DEFCUR letterrange [,letterrange]...
DEFSTR letterrange [,letterrange]...
 
    ■ The argument letterrange has the syntax:
 
      letter1[-letter2]    letter1 and letter2 are any of the uppercase or
                           lowercase letters of the alphabet.
 
Usage Notes
    ■ DEFtype sets the default data type. For example, in the following
      program fragment, Message is a string variable:
 
         DEFSTR A-Q
         .
         .
         .
         Message="Out of stack space."
 
    ■ The case of the letters in letterrange is not significant. These
      three statements are equivalent:
 
        DEFINT I-N
        DEFINT i-n
        DEFINT i-N
 
    ■ A type-declaration character (%, &, !, #, @ or $) always takes
      precedence over a DEFtype statement. DEFtype statements do not affect
      record elements.
 
Important
    ■ I%, I&, I!, I#, I@, and I$, all are distinct variables, and each
      may hold a different value.
 
Differences from BASICA
    ■ BASICA handles default data types differently. BASICA scans each
      statement before executing it. If the statement contains a
      variable without an explicit type (indicated by %, &, !, #, @ or $),
      the interpreter uses the current default type.  In contrast, the
      current version of BASIC scans the text once only and after a
      variable appears in a program line, its type cannot be changed.