CONSTANT


CONSTANT name {integer_constant_expression}
              {string_constant_expression}

Where

name is a 1-character to 32-character name conforming to the rules for STL variable names. (See Using variables and constants for more information about variable naming rules.)

integer_constant_expression is an integer constant or an expression involving only integer constants.

string_constant_expression is a string constant or an expression involving only string constants.

Function

The CONSTANT statement declares a named integer or string constant to the STL Translator. Once declared, the translator substitutes the value of the specified constant expression whenever it encounters name in the program.

Examples

constant a 1           /* "A" is a named constant with an */
                       /* integer value of 1.             */
constant x a+5         /* "X" is a named constant with an */
                       /* integer value of 6.             */
constant s 'Hello'     /* "S" is a named constant with a  */
                       /* string value of 'Hello'.        */
constant t 'there'     /* "T" is a named constant with a  */
                       /* string value of 'there'.        */
constant y s' 't       /* "Y" is a named constant with a  */
                       /* string value of 'Hello there'.  */
&#38;#8942;
b = a              /* Equivalent to: b = 1.               */
b = 5*x            /* Equivalent to: b = 30.              */
c = s              /* Equivalent to: c = 'Hello'.         */
c = s t            /* Equivalent to: c = 'Hello' 'there'. */
c = y              /* Equivalent to: c = 'Hello there'.   */

Notes

Use named constants instead of string or integer variables whenever possible because they do not require counters, save areas, or switches.
The CONSTANT statement is a declarative statement. You can code it only outside an STL procedure.