The Period as a Placeholder

A period in a template is a placeholder. It is used instead of a variable name, but it receives no data. It is useful:
  • As a “dummy variable” in a list of variables
  • Or to collect unwanted information at the end of a string.
The period in the first example is a placeholder. Be sure to separate adjacent periods with spaces; otherwise, an error results.
/* Period as a placeholder                                       */
stars='Arcturus Betelgeuse Sirius Rigil'
parse var stars . . brightest .            /* brightest='Sirius' */

/* Alternative to period as placeholder                          */
stars='Arcturus Betelgeuse Sirius Rigil'
parse var stars drop junk brightest rest   /* brightest='Sirius' */
A placeholder saves the overhead of unneeded variables.

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Timestamp icon Last updated: Tuesday, 7 January 2014


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