Lingo Dictionary > Symbols > # (symbol) |
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# (symbol)
Syntax
#symbolName
Description
Symbol operator; defines a symbol, a self-contained unit that can be used to represent a condition or flag. The value symbolName
begins with an alphabetical character and may be followed by any number of alphabetical or numerical characters.
A symbol can:
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Assign a value to a variable |
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Compare strings, integers, rectangles, and points |
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Pass a parameter to a handler or method |
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Return a value from a handler or method |
A symbol takes up less space than a string and can be manipulated, but unlike a string it does not consist of individual characters. You can convert a symbol to a string for display purposes by using the string
function.
The following are some important points about symbol syntax:
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Symbols are not case sensitive. |
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Symbols can't start with a number. |
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Spaces may not be used, but you can use underscore characters to simulate them. |
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Periods may not be used in symbols. |
All symbols, global variables, and names of parameters passed to global variables are stored in a common lookup table.
Example
This statement sets the state variable to the symbol #Playing
:
state = #Playing
See also
ilk()
, string()
, symbol()
, symbolP()
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