The EDT variables are used to store values. These values can be integer values, strings or line numbers. In EDT procedures, these variables are used, for example, for the intermediate storage of values, as loop counters, for the input of strings (file names, search terms etc.) or to perform simple calculations.
EDT variables are only valid for the current EDT session, provided that the operating mode (see section “Introduction to the EDT operating modes”) does not change. They are globally visible, i.e. they can be set, used or queried from within all work files. If a value is assigned to a variable in a work file, then the variable is also available with the same value in other work files.
EDT provides three types of variables which can be assigned the following values. 21 variables of each variable type are available and are indexed from 0 to 20.
Integer variables (
#I0..#I20)String variables (
#S0..#S20)Line number variables (
#L0..#L20)
The EDT variables are assigned values by means of various formats of the @SET statement or using @CREATE (see @SET, format 1-5 and @CREATE). Another possibility is to supply the EDT variables with the content of job variables (@GETJV) or S variables (@GETVAR, @GETLIST) (see below).
The line number variable #L0 and the integer variables #I0 to #I3 should not be used since they may be overwritten with values if an @ON statement returns a hit.
Although job variables and S variables do not form part of the EDT variables, they are nevertheless discussed in the summary below since they are frequently used to store the content of EDT variables either between EDT sessions or permanently.