Tony Furnival wrote:
> Eg given a script randval thaty returns the random value in the variable
> rand_val, how about a syntax that said:
>
> setvar myvar randval()
>  or whatever the calling sequence was.

Hmm, did you see the other posts?  Jeff Vances script seems to do this, but
putting the expression into a variable.  Also, the setvar(varname,expr) [NOT
the :SETVAR command] returns the value of varname as well as setting it.

So,

:setvar x 0
:setvar incrementx "setvar(x,x+1)"
:setvar y !incrementx
[x and y now both equal 1]

You could store your global functions in variables via a logon udc/command
file, or have a GLOBFUNC command file that you execute at the beginning of
any command files that need those functions.

Stan Sieler improved on the original command file even further:

How about:
   setvar gen_rand_vowel "str('aeiou', (hpcpumsecs mod 5) + 1, 1)"

(removing need for extra variable)

Or, to be more general (and accomodate foreign languages):

setvar vowels "aeiou"
setvar gen_rand_vowel "str(vowels, (hpcpumsecs mod len (vowels)) + 1, 1)"


Time to evalue 1000 times
    (no var) & 5     4039
    var & 5          4180
    (no var) & len   4189
    var & len        4487

Looks like 150 milliseconds for variable lookup, and another 150
milliseconds for len().


---
Michael D. Hensley       | mailto:[log in to unmask]
Allegro Consultants Inc. |
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