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ASB Keywords

Notes on the "Source" column:

•	Says where this particular keyword was first used.

•	Abbreviations used: "AB" = AlphaBASIC; "Plus" = BASICplus.

Notes on "Switches:"

•	The column entry shows the compiler switch(es) required to enable this feature.

•	When more than one switch is listed, "or" is implied—i.e., just one of the switches is required.

Keyword	Source	Switches	Description
ABS	AB		Absolute value. See Numeric Functions.
.ACCOUNT	A-Shell	X:2	Evaluates to the user’s current ppn (e.g. "100,22").
ACS	AB		Returns arccosine.
ALLOCATE	AB		Allocate a random file.
AMOS	Plus	X:1	Execute AMOS commands as subroutines.
AND	AB		See Expressions.
.ARGCNT	A-Shell	X:2	Number of parameters passed in the last function, procedure call, or SBX.
.ARGSIZ	A-Shell	X:2	Returns the size of the specified argument.
.ARGTYP	A-Shell	X:2	Returns the type of the specified argument passed to the current SBX, function, or procedure.
ASC	AB		Returns numeric value of first character.
ASN	AB		Returns arcsine.
ATN	AB		Returns arctangent.
AUTO_EXTERN	A-Shell	X:2	Enables or disables the visibility of variables defined globally.
AUTOCAP	d/BASIC		"Intelligently" capitalizes the specified string.
BYTE	AB		BYTE(X) reads memory-mapped ports.
CALL	AB		Unstructured subroutine call.
CASE	Plus	X:1, RC	Label option within SWITCH.
CHAIN	AB		Provides the ability to pass command line arguments. CHAIN <string expr> is supported in all compiler modes, including the ability to include command line arguments in the <string expr>, which must start with a program name, optionally followed by an arbitrary string of arguments, e.g. CHAIN "progxx /hard and /fast". Use CMDLIN or Xcall LSTLIN to retrieve the parameters in the target program.
CHR$	AB		Returns the OEM or Latin1 character of specified string.
.CLEAR	A-Shell	X:2	Removes all the elements of the array without destroying the array itself.
CLOSE	AB		Close file.
CMDLIN	Plus	X:1	Retrieve command line.
COS	AB		Returns cosine.
DATA	AB		List of data elements with program.
DATE	AB		Returns system date.
.DATE	A-Shell	X:2	Returns date as a decimal number which displays as MMDDYY.
DATN	AB		Returns double arctangent
DEBUG	A-Shell	X:2	See TRACE and DEBUG Statements.
DEFAULT	Plus	X:1, RC	Default label option within SWITCH.
DEFINE	Plus	X:1, RC	Define a symbolic constant.
DEFSTRUCT	A-Shell	X:2	Define a structure.
DEFTYPE	A-Shell	X:2	Defines an alias for a data type.
.DEVICE	A-Shell	X:2	Evaluates to the user’s current device (e.g. "DSK0:").
DIM	AB		Deprecated; use DIMX instead. Dimension an array at runtime.
DIMX	A-Shell	X:2	Enhanced dynamic array allocation.
DIVIDE’BY’0	Plus	X:1	Treat division by zero as zero rather than error.
DO	Plus	X:1, RC	Repeat loop while (or until) a condition is (or becomes) true.
Dot Variables	A-Shell	X:2	Read-only system variables.
DPRINT	A-Shell	X:2	Like PRINT but creates a static text control.
ECHO	Plus	X:1	Set terminal echo mode; same as XCALL ECHO.
EDIT$	Plus	X:1	Returns a modified version of a string, based on option bits set in flags.
++ELIF			Conditionals based on evaluating a constant expression.
ELSE	AB		Final alternative clause within an IF statement.
ELSEIF	A-Shell	X:2, RC	Intermediate alternative clauses an IF statement.
END	AB		Terminate execution of program.
ENDFUNCTION	A-Shell	X:2	Marks end of a function.
ENDIF			Terminates IF...ENDIF blocks.
ENDPROCEDURE	A-Shell	X:2	Marks end of a procedure.
ENDSTRUCT	A-Shell	X:2	End of a DEFSTRUCT ... ENDSTRUCT block.
ENDSWITCH	Plus	X:1, RC	End of SWITCH statement.
EOF	AB		Returns end-of-file status for file channel.
EQV	AB		Logical equivalence operator
ERF	AB		Returns error/status information about the last operation on an ISAM file.
ERR	AB		Returns various err codes.
ERRMSG	Plus	X:1	Returns the text of the error message.
++ERROR	A-Shell	X:2	Force error within compilation.
$EXIT	A-Shell	X:2	Special exit label within function / procedure.
EXIT	Plus	X:1	Exit from inner-most loop or block (DO, FOR, SWITCH).
EXITFUNCTION	A-Shell	X:2	Exit the current function.
EXITPROCEDURE	A-Shell	X:2	Exit the current procedure.
EXITPROGRAM	A-Shell	X:2	Exit the current function or procedure to label $EXITPROGRAM
EXP	AB		Natural log. See Numeric Functions.
.EXPERIENCE	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
.EXTENT	A-Shell		Returns the "extent" of the subscript number.
++EXTERN	A-Shell	X:2	Exposes individual global variables.
FACT	AB		Factorial. See Numeric Functions.
.FALSE	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
FILEBASE	AB		Set numeric offset for first file record.
FILL$()	Plus	X:1	Copies the given expression up to the specified length.
FIX	AB		Returns the integer part of the floating point value. See Numeric Functions.
FOR	A-Shell	X:2	See FOR … NEXT.
FOR	AB		See FOR … NEXT.
FOREACH	A-Shell	X:2	Used to iterate through Ordered Maps.
FUNCTION	A-Shell	X:2	Begin definition of function.
GETKEY	Plus	X:1	Input a character.
GOSUB	AB		Same as CALL.
GOTO	AB		Jump to specified line number, label or variable.
GRIDMAP	A-Shell	X:2	A variation of ordered map with two keys and one value.
IF	AB		Traditional form of IF statement.
IF	Plus	X:1, RC	Block-structured form of traditional IF statement; see IF … ENDIF.
++IF			See Conditional Compilation.
IFE, IFE$	A-Shell	X:2	Shortcut for IF/THEN/ELSE statements.
IFELSE, IFEKSE$	A-Shell	X:2
++INCLUDE	AB		Include specified file at compile time; see INCLUDE.
++INCLUDE	A-Shell	X:2	Include specified file at compile time; see INCLUDE.
INPUT			Input field(s) from keyboard or file; see INPUT.
INSTR	AB		Substring search; see INSTR().
INSTR	A-Shell	X:2	Extended version substring search; INSTR().
.INSTRR	A-Shell	X:2	Searches a string for a pattern, like INSTR(), but in reverse.
INT	AB		Returns the largest integer less than or equal to x. See Numeric Functions.
IO	AB		IO(X) pseudo reads from memory-mapped I/O port.
.ISNULL	A-Shell	X:2	Tests for the NULL condition. See Ordered Maps > Special ORDMAP Functions.
.JOBNAME	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
.KEY	A-Shell	X:2	Returns the key associated with the element currently indexed by the iterator.
KILL	AB		Delete a file.
.LAST_LABEL	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
.LAST_ROUTINE	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
LCS$	AB		See String Functions.
LEFT$	AB		See String Functions.
LEN	AB		Returns length of a string. See String Functions.
LET	AB		Assignment statement.
.LINENO	A-Shell	X:2	See .LINENO, .PAGENO.
LOG	AB		Returns natural log. See Numeric Functions.
LOG10	AB		Returns decimal log. See Numeric Functions.
LOOKUP	AB		Return size of file in blocks. See File-Related Functions.
LOOKUP ("fspec")			Function version of LOOKUP statement.
LOOP	Plus	X:1, RC	See DO / WHILE / UNTIL.
MAP	AB		Variable declaration.
MAX	AB		See Expressions.
MEM	AB		See System Functions.
++MESSAGE	A-Shell	X:2	Output message during compilation. Also see ++ERROR.
MID$	AB		See String Functions.
MIN	AB		See Expressions.
MLIST	A-Shell	X:2	A bidirectional linked list.
.MONTH	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
.NEST_LEVEL	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
.NEXT	A-Shell	X:2	See Ordered Maps > Special ORDMAP Functions.
NO’DIVIDE’BY’0	Plus	X:1	Force divide by zero to generate error 10 (default). See DIVIDE'BY'0.
NOECHO	Plus	X:1	Set terminal noecho mode. Same as XCALL NOECHO.
NOT	AB		See Expressions.
.NULL	A-Shell	X:2	See Ordered Maps > Special ORDMAP Functions.
NUMEXPR			Treat argument as numeric.
ODTIM()	Plus	X:1	See String Functions.
.OFFSET	A-Shell	X:2	Returns the offset to the specified member variable.
.OFFSIZ$	A-Shell	X:2	Returns the combination of the specified structure member's offset and size.
ON - GOSUB	AB		Call one of list of subroutines, based on value.
ON - GOTO	AB		Goto one of list of labels, based on value.
ON ERROR GOTO			Specify error handling routine.
OPEN	AB		Open file.
OPEN for APPEND	Plus	X:1	Enhancement to OPEN #CH, FSPEC, APPEND.
OR	AB		See Expressions.
ORDMAP	A-Shell	X:2	An associative array that maps keys to values
ORDMAPM	A-Shell	X:2	Same as ORDMAP but supports multiple keys of the same value.
PAD	AB		See String Functions.
PAD()	A-Shell	X:2	Pad a string with spaces (function).
.PAGENO	A-Shell	X:2	See .LINENO, .PAGENO.
.PGMNAME	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
.PGMVERSION	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
POP	d/BASIC		Deprecated. Pops the current GOSUB return address from the stack.
++PRAGMAs	Plus	X:1	Compiler Directives.
PRINT	AB		Output variables and expressions to screen or file.
PROCEDURE	A-Shell	X:2	Start definition of a procedure.
PROGRAM	AB		Program header declaration.
RANDOMIZE	AB		Initialize Random Number Generator a randomly selected seed.
READ	AB		Read from file.
READL	AB		Read record and lock. See file access statements
READ'ONLY			File open mode modifier. See OPEN.
REDIMX		X:2	Re-dimensions an array originally created with Dynamic Arrays (DIMX).
REPEAT	Plus	X:1, RC	Jump to top of loop structure to begin next iteration.
RESTORE	AB		Reset DATA access pointer to beginning.
RESUME	AB		Resume to line after last error.
RESUME WITH ERROR	A-Shell	X:2	Special version of resume used with functions and procedures.
RETURN	AB		Return from unstructured subroutine (see GOSUB, CALL).
RETURN	A-Shell	X:2	Return value from XFUNC.
RIGHT$	AB		See String Functions.
RND	AB		Returns a random number. See Numeric Functions.
RND2	A-Shell	X:2	Returns a random number.See Numeric Functions.
RTRIM	AB		See String Functions.
SCALE	AB		Declare scaled arithmetic.
SGN	AB		Returns sign of a number. See Numeric Functions.
SIGNIFICANCE	AB		Set output/format significance of floating point values.
SIN	AB		See Trigonometric Functions.
.SIZEOF	A-Shell	X:2	Returns size of previously mapped variable.
SLEEP	Plus	X:1	Sleep for specified seconds. Same as XCALL SLEEP.
SPACE	AB		See String Functions.
SQR	AB		Returns square root of a number. See Numeric Functions.
SRND2	A-Shell	X:2	Initializes the random number generator. See Numeric Functions.
STEP	AB		Set loop counter increment. See FOR … NEXT.
STOP	AB		Program stop, wait for CR to continue.
STR$	AB		See String Functions.
STRSIZ	AB		Sets the default length of string variables.
STRIP	AB		See String Functions.
STRIP	Plus	X:1	Returns var with all trailing spaces removed. Also STRIP$(var).
STRSIZ	AB		Sets the default length of string variables.
SWITCH	Plus	X:1, RC	Conditional execution based on value of an expression.
TAB(X,Y,Z)	A-Shell	X:2	Extension of tab(x,y) with z indicating attributes to assign to the text.
TAN	AB		See Trigonometric Functions.
.TERMINAL	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
THEN	AB		Separates IF condition from statement. See IF.
TIME	AB		See System Functions.
TO	AB		See FOR … NEXT.
TPRINT	A-Shell	X:2	See Expressions.
TRACE	A-Shell	X:2	See TRACE and DEBUG Statements.
.TRUE	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.
UCS$	AB		See String Functions.
UNLOKR	AB		Release lock on file or record.
UNTIL	Plus	X:1, RC	Repeat loop while (or until) a condition is (or becomes) true.
.USERNAME	A-Shell	X:2	Evaluates to the user name.
USING	AB		See Expressions.
VAL	AB		Returns the decimal value of a string.
VXCALL	A-Shell	X:2	Same as XCALL but uses a string expression for the subroutine name.
WEND	d/BASIC	/D	Same as ENDIF.
WHEN	d/BASIC	/D	Same as IF.
WHILE	Plus	X:1, RC	Repeat loop while (or until) a condition is (or becomes) true.
WORD	AB		WORD(X) reads memory-mapped ports.
WRITE	AB		Write to random file.
WRITECD	A-Shell	X:2	Output comma delimited values.
WRITEL	AB	X:1	Write record not previously locked.
WRITELN	Plus	X:1	Same as WRITEL but leave record locked.
WRITEN	Plus	X:1	Same as WRITEL but leave record locked.
WRITETD	A-Shell	X:2	Deprecated; see WRITECD.
XCALL	AB		Call external subroutine.
XFUNC	A-Shell	X:2	Call an external (SBX) function.
XGETARG(S)	A-Shell	X:2	Retrieve subroutine parameters.
XOPEN	A-Shell	X:2	Variation on OPEN statement fo ISAM-A.
XOR	AB		See Expressions.
XPUTARG	A-Shell	X:2	Return subroutine parameters.
XREAD, XWRITE, XUNLOKR	A-Shell	X:2	Allow record access via explicit record numbers.
.YYMMDD	A-Shell	X:2	See Dot Variables.

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A-Shell Reference