Mark Bixby Replied:

> Can anyone explain the use of "brackets" ([]) related to
> dereferencing variables in CI programs?  They solve some problems

<<snip>>

More generally, you put brackets around CI expressions, not just variables.

<<snip>>

> Case in point - I defined a variable with a terminal control escape
> sequence to set "return = enter".  When echoed to the terminal using
> explicit dereferencing (echo !varname), the variable was evaluated as
> if it were a numeric expression and gave a division by zero error.
> Placing the variable name in "brackets" (echo ![varname]) solves the
> dereferencing problem.

I'm having trouble imagining the difference here.  What is the exact escape
sequence within !varname?

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Mark,

The variable was originally defined as:

    setvar esc, chr(27)
    setvar nter, "!esc"+"&f1m149P<!154>"

However, the setvar statement was also returning a divide by zero
error.  I suspect the "!" causes the evaluation problem.

I then changed the setvar to:

    setvar nter, "!esc"+"&f1m149P<"+"!"+"154>"

This solved the setvar problem and the "brackets" solved the echo
problem.

Thanks for your clarification on the usage.

Steve Barrett

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