Additional Data Manipulation Capabilities; Table 2-3. Data Manipulation Functions - HP TACL Programming Manual

Developing TACL Programs
Processing Character Data
Additional Data
Manipulation Capabilities
2–16
Use the built-in functions and commands in Table 2-3 to perform other data
manipulation tasks. A dash indicates that there is no equivalent function or command.

Table 2-3. Data Manipulation Functions

Function Command
#APPEND —
#APPENDV —
#COMPAREV _COMPAREV
— COPYVAR
#EMPTY —
#EMPTYV —
#EXTRACT —
#EXTRACTV —
— FILETOVAR
— JOIN
— _LONGEST
#SET SET VARIABLE
#SETMANY —
#SETV —
— VARTOFILE
To read data into a variable from a sequential file, you can use either FILETOVAR or
#SET. The following statements move the contents of filename into variable :
FILETOVAR filename variable
or
#SET /IN filename / variable
The #SET command is much faster and is easier to debug: FILETOVAR is
implemented as a looping macro; #SET uses TAL code. The maximum record length
for records in files copied by FILETOVAR is 239 characters. When using #SET, make
sure #INFORMAT is set to PLAIN.
107365 Tandem Computers Incorporated
Description
Adds a line of text to a variable level.
Appends a string or the contents of a variable level to the
end of another variable level.
Compares one string or variable level with another.
Copies the contents of one variable level to another.
Determines whether specified text is empty.
Determines whether a variable level or quoted text is
empty.
Obtains the first line of a variable level.
Moves the first line of a variable level to another variable
level.
Copies data from a file to the end of a variable level.
Converts a multiple-line variable level into a single-line
variable level with spaces in place of end-of-line indicators.
Returns the longest element in a variable containing a
space-separated list.
Changes the entire contents of a variable level.
Distributes the members of a space-separated list into
individual variable levels.
Copies a string or variable level into another variable level.
Copies data from a variable level to a file.