You can't use REALbasic without understanding how the Dim statement
works. But what you might not know is that it's much more flexible in
REALbasic 5.5.
For example, you can assign default values to variables:
Dim x As Integer = 5
You can also assign the same default value to several variables:
Dim x, y, z As Integer = 5
You can use functions to provide the default value:
Dim x As Integer = Ticks
You can create new instances of objects:
Dim d As New Date
Be careful however when declaring multiple variables on the same line.
For example:
Dim today, tomorrow As New Date
creates two variables that both point to the same object. So changing
the values of the Today variable would automatically change Tomorrow as
well since they are both the same object. If you want separate objects,
use two Dim statements:
Dim today As New Date
Dim tomorrow As New Date
You can also put these on the same line if you'd like:
Dim today As New Date, tomorrow As New Date
And don't forget that starting with REALbasic 5, you no longer have to
put your Dim statements at the top of a method. You can place them
anywhere as long as they are not inside a block construct like an If
statement or a loop. This is handy because it allows you to put the Dim
statement near where you begin using the variable. If it turns out that
you don't need the variable after all, it's easier to remember to
delete the Dim statement if it's near where it's used.
--
Geoff Perlman
President and CEO
REAL Software, Inc.
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