Xbasic

Xbasic Reference

Description

Additional guides for using Xbasic

Name
Description
Integrated Local Help and WebHelp

When you click F1 in the Xbasic Editor or Action Script Editor, Alpha Anywhere will display help for the function, method, or language element under the cursor.

Overview: Functions and Expressions

Expressions are used throughout Alpha Anywhere for a variety of purposes. They are used to order and select records, display calculations on layouts, link two tables together, and to specify conditions under which events occur. For example, you can create an expression for a calculated field to show sales totals at the bottom of a Report, or you can create a duplicate key expression so that Alpha Anywhere knows which records in your table are duplicates.

Pointer and Dot Variables

Alpha Anywhere allows you to define pointer variables with sub-elements, so called "dot" variables. Dot variables can have multiple layers of sub-elements.

The Xbasic Programming Environment

Xbasic is Alpha Anywhere's programming language. You use Xbasic to create scripts. Scripts can be run in several different ways. A Global Script can be run from the Control Panel by simply double clicking on it, or clicking the "Run" button.

Using the Interactive Window

result of an Xbasic method, command or expression immediately, you can type an Xbasic statement directly into Alpha Anywhere's Interactive window. Alpha Anywhere uses auto-completion logic to help you enter commands in the Interactive window. Like in the Code Editor, Alpha Anywhere displays Bubble Help showing the syntax of every command you enter.

What is a Variable?

Variables are used to store values for later use. To hold these values, you must declare locations in memory where each of these values can be stored. This memory location is called a variable. A variable contains any unit of information like a number, a date, or a sequence of alphanumeric characters (called a string). The type of information a variable contains is always the same, but its contents can be changed easily and quickly.