setting variables with string names

[theguy0000]

Well, I want to be able to set variables depending on a string representing their name...

What Iwant to is is for the user to input a variable name such as "hi", then the variable $hi will be created and set to a specific value (lets say "hello" in this case).

How would I go about doing this?

Edited March 6, 2006 by theguy0000

[big_daddy]

Maybe something like this?

$a_input = InputBox("", "", "Hi")
If $a_input <> "" Then
    Assign ( $a_input, "Hello!")
    MsgBox(0, "", Eval($a_input))
EndIf

[theguy0000]

I never knew about assign thanks! (but why the Eval () ?)

[jefhal]

Well, I want to be able to set variables depending on a string representing their name...

I think you want this:

dim $Hi
$a_input = InputBox("", "", "Hi")
If $a_input <> "" Then
    assign(eval("a_input"),"hello")
      MsgBox(0, "", $Hi)
EndIf

Edited March 7, 2006 by jefhal

[freanir]

I never knew about assign thanks! (but why the Eval () ?)

Eval() returns the value of a variable.

Example:

$foo = 12
MsgBox(0, 'Test', Eval('foo'))

Edited March 7, 2006 by freanir

[theguy0000]

hmm...what on earth is the point of eval? Why use Eval ('foo') when you can just use $foo?

[DaleHohm]

hmm...what on earth is the point of eval? Why use Eval ('foo') when you can just use $foo?

You can find an example of this being done here in my first UDF (with help from Sven).

Dale

[freanir]

hmm...what on earth is the point of eval? Why use Eval ('foo') when you can just use $foo?

Why use

Assign('foo', 'Test')

, when you can use

$foo = 'Test'

?

[jefhal]

Why use

Assign('foo', 'Test')

, when you can use

$foo = 'Test'

?

Try these examples and substitute your idea with what's there. You will see the subtle difference. You are not assigning $foo = "test", you are assigning the contents of $foo to a new variable of that name to be equal to "test". Look at the last statement in my code snippet. I show $Hi, not $a_input. Big difference, but requires a specific need to be of use. We thought your question reflected that special need...

[big_daddy]

I think you want this:

dim $Hi
$a_input = InputBox("", "", "Hi")
If $a_input <> "" Then
    assign(eval("a_input"),"hello")
      MsgBox(0, "", $Hi)
EndIf

This would not work if you didn't know what the user was going to enter. My example will work even if the user enter something other than "Hi".

[freanir]

@jefhal:

I don't get your point.

I know what assign() and eval() are for.

My previous post was an answer to a post of theguy0000, who wrote:

Why use Eval ('foo') when you can just use $foo?

To answer his question I changed it to a question of which he knows the answer. Edited March 7, 2006 by freanir

[jefhal]

I was answering theguy also. Sorry for the confusion...

[jefhal]

This would not work if you didn't know what the user was going to enter. My example will work even if the user enter something other than "Hi".

Good point big_daddy, but what would be the point of going to all that extra work of using assign and eval if he won't know the names of the variables in either case? I guess we'd have to ask theguy. It seems like it would be just as easy to assign variable names $1 $2 $3 .... as people enter their unique values.

I know what you mean, though, as I had to declare $Hi before I used it! Hard thing to do if you don't know what it's going to be!

[theguy0000]

Why use

Assign('foo', 'Test')

, when you can use

$foo = 'Test'

?

oh lol. I get it, thanks.