A-Shell Reference

.EXTENT($a())

Num

Returns the total # of values, i.e. (row,col,value) triplets, in the gridmap $a(). Returns -1 if the gridmap has not yet been initialized or was subsequently destroyed with REDIMX.

.ISNULL(var)

Boolean

Tests the expression expr for null (same as for ordered maps). Expression may be an iterator, e.g. .ISNULL($$i), or a gridmap element reference, e.g. .ISNULL($a(row,col)), or a string variable.

.KEY($$i, 1)

String

Returns the row key (key #1), associated with the element currently indexed by the iterator $$i. See Comments below.

.KEY($$i, 2)

String

Returns the column key (key #2), associated with the element currently indexed by the iterator $$i. See Comments below.

.MINROW($a())

Num

Returns the first row number.

.MAXROW($a())

Num

Returns the last row number.

.MINCOL($a(),row)

Num

Returns the first (lowest) column number on the specified row (or -99999999 if none). Applies only to gridmaps with numeric column indices, i.e. gridmap(int;int;varstr).

.MAXCOL($a(),row)

Num

Same as .MINCOL($a(),row) except for the last (highest) column number on the row.

.COLNUM($a(),colname$)

Num

Returns the column number associated with colname$ (or -99999999 if no match). Applies to both gridmap variations. For gridmaps with numeric column indices, it scans row 1 to find a value match on the colname$; the resulting column number can be used (along with a row number) to directly address the gridmap. For gridmaps with string column indices, it scans row 1 (presumed to be the first data row) for a key match on the colname$, returning the ordinal sequence # (starting from 1) of the matching column. That mainly serves just to verify the existence of the target column.