Inside Macintosh: AppleScript Language Guide / Part 2 - AppleScript Language Reference

Chapter 8 - Handlers / Subroutine Definitions and Calls

Subroutines With Positional Parameters /

Subroutine Definition, Positional Parameters

The definition for a subroutine with positional parameters lists the order in which to list parameters when calling the subroutine and the statements to be executed when the subroutine is called.

SYNTAX

( on | to ) subroutineName ( [ paramVariable [, paramVariable ]...] )
   [ global variable [, variable ]...]
   [ local variable [, variable ]...] 
   [ statement ]...
end [ subroutineName ]  

where

subroutineName (an identifier) is the name of the subroutine.

paramVariable (an identifier) is a parameter variable for the actual value of the parameter. You use this identifier to specify the parameter in the body of the subroutine.

variable is an identifier for either a global or local variable that can be used in the handler. The scope of a local variable is the handler. You cannot refer to a local variable outside the handler. The scope of a global variable can extend to any other part of the script, including other handlers and script objects. For detailed information about the scope of local and global variables, see "Scope of Script Variables and Properties," which begins on page 252.

statement is any AppleScript statement.

The parentheses that enclose the series of positional parameters in the syntax definition are a required part of the language. They are shown in bold to distinguish them from parentheses that show grouping but are not part of the language. The parentheses must be included even if the subroutine definition doesn't include any parameters.

For examples of subroutines with positional parameters, see page 238.