1.0;SETVAR, revision 1.0, 86/01/10
SETVAR (SET_VARIABLE) -- Set the value of a variable
usage:  SETVAR {[-TYPE {STR|INT|BOOL|ANY|ENV}] var_name value ... |
                                        variable/value_list}


FORMAT

  SETVAR [options] {[-TYPE type] var_name value ... | variable_list}


  The  SETVAR  command  takes  pairs  of  arguments, which may be preceded by an
  optional type-specifier (-TYPE type).

  By default, the type of each variable specified in the SETVAR command  depends
  on  the type of each input value.  You can, however, use the -TYPE argument to
  specify the individual type(s) of the the variables.

  Note: if a value is not of the type specified by the -TYPE argument  an  error
  will result.


ARGUMENTS

  variable_list
  (optional)

                     Specify  the  names of the variables that receive the input
                     values.

                     Default if omitted:  must specify -TYPE (below).


OPTIONS

  -TYPE type var_name...

                     Specify the type of the input value(s) that can be assigned
                     to  the  particular  variable  name(s).   Multiple variable
                     names are permitted, separated by blanks.  Once you specify
                     a  type in a particular SETVAR command, SETVAR assigns that
                     type to all subsequent variable names, until you change the
                     type specification.  Valid types are:

                         STR[ING]         character strings
                         INT[EGER]        integer numbers
                         BOOL[EAN]        Boolean values
                         ENV[IRONMENT]    environment variables
                         ANY              any type (the default)

                     If  the  type  of  the  input value does not match the type
                     specified for that variable name, SETVAR  issues  an  error
                     and  asks  you enter another input value.  Use -TYPE ANY to
                     restore the Shell to its default state.  In this  case,  it
                     determines the proper variable type automatically.

                     Specifying -TYPE ENV var_name causes the variable to become
                     an environment variable.    Environment  variables  are  of
                     primary  concern  to  DOMAIN/IX  users;  please consult the
                     DOMAIN/IX documentation for details about their usage.








EXAMPLES

  In the first example, we will create several variables using SETVAR  and  then
  list them using the LVAR command.

      $ setvar i 1                        # an integer
      $ setvar b true                     # a boolean
      $ setvar s1 string                  # a string
      $ setvar -type string s2 true       # a boolean forced into a string
      $ lvar i b s1 s2
      integer i = 1
      boolean b = true
      string s1 = string
      string s2 = true

  In  this  example,  we  will set several variables of different types and then
  list them.

      $ setvar -type int i1 1 i2 2 -type str s1 3 s2 4 -type any i3 1
      $ lvar i1 i2 s1 s2 i3
      integer i1 = 1
      integer i2 = 2
      string s1 = 3
      string s2 = 4
      integer i3 = 1

  The following is an error message example.  In this case, we are trying to set
  an integer to a string.

      $ setvar -type int z ten
      ?(sh) semantic error - 'ten' is not an integer.


RELATED TOPICS

  More information is available.  Type:

     - HELP EOFF
        for details  about  restricting  variable  evaluation  to  within
        variable expressions.

     - HELP EON
        for details about enabling global variable evaluation.

     - HELP EXISTVAR
        for details about existing variables.

     - HELP EXPORT
        for information about environment variable.

     - HELP DLVAR
        for information about deleting a variable.

     - HELP READ
        for information on assigning multi-character strings to variables.

     - HELP READC
        for information on assigning whole-line strings to variables.

     - HELP READLN
        for information on assigning whole-line strings to variables.