Lingo Dictionary > O-R > return (keyword) |
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return (keyword)
Syntax
return
expression
Description
Keyword; returns the value of expression
and exits from the handler. The expression
argument can be any Lingo value.
When calling a handler that serves as a user-defined function and has a return value, you must use parentheses around the argument lists, even if there are no arguments, as in the diceRoll
function handler discussed under the entry for the result
function.
The function of the return
keyword is similar to that of the exit
command, except that return
also returns a value to whatever called the handler. The return
command in a handler immediately exits from that handler, but it can return a value to the Lingo that called it.
The use of return
in object-oriented scripting can be difficult to understand. It's easier to start by using return
to create functions and exit handlers. Later, you will see that the return me
line in an on new
handler gives you a way to pass back a reference to an object that was created so it can be assigned to a variable name.
The return
keyword isn't the same as the character constant RETURN
, which indicates a carriage return. The function depends on the context.
To retrieve a returned value, use parentheses after the handler name in the calling statement to indicate that the named handler is a function.
To see an example of return (keyword)
used in a completed movie, see the Parent Scripts movie in the Learning\Lingo Examples folder inside the Director application folder.
Example
This handler returns a random multiple of 5 between 5 and 100:
on getRandomScore theScore = 5 * random(20) return theScore end getRandomScore
Call this handler with a statement similar to the following:
set thisScore to GetRandomScore()
In this example, the variable thisScore
is assigned the return value from the function GetRandomScore
. A parent script performs the same function: by returning the object reference, the variable name in the calling code provides a handle for subsequent references to that object.
See also
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