This section provides an alphabetical list of the built-in functions. The syntax of each function is shown to the right of the function keyword.
Optional arguments are shown in brackets and generally have a default value that is used if the argument is omitted. When an option keyword is specified as an argument, only the first character is significant. Option keywords are not case-sensitive.
Many functions accept a pad character argument. Pad characters are inserted to fill or create spaces. For functions that accept a pad argument, only the first character of the argument string is significant. If a null string is supplied, the default padding character, usually a blank, will be used.
In the following examples, an arrow (bitte Pfeil einsetzen) is used as an abbreviation for "evaluates as." The arrow will not be displayed when a program is run. For example:
SAY ABS (-5.35) bitte Pfeil einsetzen 5.35
This means that SAY ABS(-5.35) is evaluated as 5.35.
Returns a Boolean value that indicates whether string2 is an abbreviation of string1 with length greater than or equal to the specified length argument. The default length is 0, so the null string is an acceptable abbreviation. For example:
SAY ABBREV (`fullname', `ful') -> 1
SAY ABBREV (`almost', `alm',4) -> 0
SAY ABBREV (`any','') -> 1
Returns the absolute value of the number argument. This value must be numeric. For example:
SAY ABS(-5.35) -> 5.35
SAY ABS(10) -> .10
Adds a function library or a function host to the library list maintained by the resident process. The name argument specifies either the name of a function library or the public message port associated with a function host. The name is case-sensitive. Any specified libraries should reside in the system LIBS: directory.
The priority argument specifies the search priority and must be an integer between 100 and -100, inclusive. The offset and version arguments apply only to libraries. The offset is the integer offset to the library's "query" entry point, and the version is an integer specifying the minimum acceptable release level of the library.
The function returns a Boolean result that indicates whether the operation was successful. If a library is specified, it is not actually opened at this time. Similarly, ARexx does not check to see whether a specified function hist port is open. For example:
SAY ADDLIB ("rexxsupport.library",0,-30,0) -> 1
CALL ADDLIB "EtherNet",-20 /*A gateway*/
Returns the current host address string. The host address is the message port to which commands will be sent. The SHOW() function can be used to check whether the required external host is actually available. See also SHOW(). For example:
ARG() returns the number of arguments supplied to the current environment. If only the number parameter is supplied, the corresponding argument string is returned. If a number and the Exists or Omitted keyword is given, the Boolean return indicates the status of the corresponding argument. The existence or mossion test does not indicate whether the string has a null value, but only whether a string was supplied. For example:
/*Assume arguments were: (`one',,10)*/
SAY ARG() -> 3
SAY ARG(1) -> one
SAY ARG(2,'O') -> 1
Converts a string of binary digits (0,1) into the corresponding (packed) character representation. The conversion is the same as though the argument string had been specified as a literal binary string (e.g. `1010'B). Blanks are permitted in the string, but only at byte boundaries. This function is particularly useful for creating strings that are to be used as bit masks. See also X2C(). For example:
SAY B2C(`00110011') -> 3
SAY B2C(`01100001') -> a
The argument strings are logically ANDed together, with the length of the result being the longer of the two operand strings. If a pad character is supplied, the shorter string, string is padded on the right. Otherwise, the operation terminates at the end of the shorter string, and the remainder of the longer string is appended to the result. For example:
BITAND(`0313'x, `FFF0'x) -> `0310'x
Changes the state of the specified bit in the argument string. Bit numbers are defined such that bit 0 is the low-order bit of the rightmost byte of the string. For example:
Clears (sets to zero) the specified bit in the argument string. Bit numbers are defined such that bit 0 is the low-order bit of the rightmost byte of the string. For example:
Compares the argument strings bit-by-bit, starting at bit number 0. The returned value is the bit number of the first bit in which the strings differ, or -1 if the strings are identical. For example:
BITCOMP(`7F'x, `FF'x) -> 7 /*Seventh bit*/
BITCOMP(`FF'x, `FF'x) -> -1
The argument strings are logically ORed together, with the length of the result being the longer of the two operand strings. If a pad character is supplied, the shorter string is padded in the right. Otherwise, the operation terminates at the end of the shorter string, and the remainder of the longer string is appended to the result. For example:
BITOR(`0313'x, `00F'x) -> `033F'x
Sets the specified bit in the argument string to 1. Bit numbers are defined such that bit 0 is the low-order bit of the rightmost byte of the string. For example:
The Boolean return indicates the state of the specified bit in the argument string. Bit numbers are defined such that bit 0 is the low-order bit of the rightmost byte of the string. For example:
The argument strings are logically and exclusively-ORed together, with the length of the result being the longer of the two operand strings. If a pad character is supplied, the shorter string is padded on the right. Otherwise, the operation terminates at the end of the shorter string, and the remainder of the longer string is appended to the result. For example:
BITXOR(`0313'x, `001F'x) -> `030C'X
Converts the character string into the equivalent string of binary digits. See also C2X(). For example:
SAY C2B(`abc') -> 011000010110001001100011
Converts the string argument from its character representation to the corresponding decimal number, expressed as ASCII digits (0-9). If n is supplied, the character string is considered to be a number expressed in n bytes. The string is truncated or padded with nulls on the left as required, and the sign bit is extended for the conversion. For example:
SAY C2D(`0020'x) -> 32
SAY C2D(`FFFF ffff'x) -> -1
SAY C2D(`FF0100'x,2) -> 256
Converts the string argument from its character representation to the corresponding hexadecimal number, expressed as the ASCII characters 0-9 and A-F. See also C2B(). For example:
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