How are variables declared in an include treated?

[Tyranna]

When a variable , not specified Local or Global,  which is outside of a Function , is declared at the top of an include file , what scope does it have in the parent script?

 

[jchd]

It's global. There is no file-scope so parent script = whole script including includes.

[Tyranna]

That seems to imply that all variables declared at the top of your main script , not in a Function , are are of Global scope as well...

Is that the case?

 

My Speculation:  In your main script , variables being declared as Global is redundant , and , variables declared as Local would restrict functions from

accessing them.

[jchd]

Outside of functions, variables are all global. Declaring global variables inside functions is terribly bad practice.

[Jos]

Helpfile is pretty clear:

Quote

Scope

A variable's scope is controlled by when and how you declare the variable. If you declare a variable at the start of your script and outside any functions it exists in the global scope and can be read or changed from anywhere in the script.

If you declare a variable inside a function it is in local scope and can only be used within that same function. Variables created inside functions are auJasperatically destroyed when the function ends.

By default when variables are declared using Dim or assigned in a function they have local scope unless there is a global variable of the same name (in which case the global variable is reused). This can be altered by using the Local and Global keywords to declare variables and force the scope you want.

Jos

[RTFC]

2 minutes ago, Jos said:

auJasperatically destroyed

clear as mud.

[jchd]

Aren't Jasper and Tom the name of ghosts?

[Tyranna]

I think that means the memory for holding the variable is released...

 

[iamtheky]

 

[jchd]

8 minutes ago, Jos said:

If you declare a variable inside a function it is in local scope and can only be used within that same function. Variables created inside functions are auJasperatically destroyed when the function ends.

That is untrue:

f()
ConsoleWrite($a & @LF)

Func f()
    Global $a = "Hello folks, I'm still alive!"
EndFunc

It should be:

If you declare a Local variable inside a function it is in local scope and can only be used within that same function. Local variables created inside functions are auJasperatically destroyed when the function ends.

Declaring variables as Global or Static inside a function does preclude them from being destroyed at function exit.

[Jos]

12 minutes ago, RTFC said:

clear as mud.

What's unclear about that ?

[Jos]

The current SVN version:

Quote

Scope

A variable's scope is controlled by when and how you declare the variable. If you declare a variable at the start of your script and outside any functions it exists in the global scope and can be read or changed from anywhere in the script.

If you declare a variable inside a function it is in local scope and can only be used within that same function. Variables created inside functions are automatically destroyed when the function ends.

By default when variables are declared using Dim or assigned in a function they have local scope unless there is a global variable of the same name (in which case the global variable is reused). This can be altered by using the Local and Global keywords to declare variables and force the scope you want.

See Static for details on how to use this keyword as part of the scope declaration.

Jos

[jchd]

Still wrong. My example shows that globals inside a function remain global on exit. So the second § is not strictly correct.

[Jos]

2 minutes ago, jchd said:

Still wrong. My example shows that globals inside a function remain global on exit. So the second § is not strictly correct.

I've not changed it, merely checked the fix for automatically. 

Not sure if the Local words make it more clear as you can also declare a variable without defining a scope which then implies Local.
Agree that any variable defined with Global scope will truely Global and not be destroyed at the return from a Func.

Jos

[jchd]

I'll never accuse you of writing garbage in the help source files!

Well, unless you insist

[Jos]

Hey ... I never write stuff in the helpfile as my English is way too bad ...  
(I've always gotten away with that excuse ...  what is yours?)

Jos

Edited May 21, 2017 by Jos

[jchd]

I've no helpfile keyboard, sorry.

[Jos]

ah ... the famous AZERTY  version. 

[RTFC]

34 minutes ago, jchd said:

Aren't Jasper and Tom the name of ghosts?

A possible explanation for this curious association (never knew Tom was originally called Jasper).

Edited May 21, 2017 by RTFC