Intrinsic Script Functions

The tables below describe the syntax for the intrinsic script functions.

Arithmetic Functions

Function	Returns	Example
SQRT(float_number)	Square root of "float_number"	SQRT(2.0) → 1.41…
SIN(float_number)	Sine of "float_number"	SIN(45) → 0.707…
ASIN(float_number)	Arcsine of "float_number"	ASIN(0.707…) → 45.0
EXP(float_number)	"e" raised to the power of "float_number" Base "e" = 2.71828…	EXP(1) → 2.718…
LOG(float_number)	Natural logarithm of "float_number". Base "e" = 2.71828…	LOG(2.718…) → 1.0
ATAN2(float_y,float_x)	The angle between positive X axis and the "ray" from (0,0) to (x,y) in degrees Important: Note the order of arguments!	ATAN2(0.0,15.0) → 0.0 ATAN2(15.0,15.0) → 45.0 ATAN2(15.0,-15.0) → 135.0 ATAN2(0.0,-15.0) → 180.0 ATAN2(-15.0,-15.0) → -135.0 ATAN2(-15.0,15.0) → -45.0

Character String Functions

Function	Returns	Example
SUBSTRING(s,n)	Tail of string "s", starting from s[n]	SUBSTRING("abc",1) → "bc"
HEAD(s,n)	First n characters of string "s"	HEAD("abc",1) → "a"
TAIL(s,n)	Last n characters of string "s"	TAIL("abc",1) → "c"
SEARCH(s,patt)	Tail of string "s", starting from the pattern	SEARCH("abc","b") → "bc"
STRINGTERM(s,patt)	Head of string "s", ending before the pattern	STRINGTERM("abc","b") → "a"
TRANS(s,patt,patt2)	Replace "patt" characters with "patt2" characters in string "s" "patt" and "patt2" can contain several characters, they are replaced one by one	TRANS("abc","ab","bd") → "bdc"
STRLEN(s)	Number of characters in string "s"	STRLEN("abc") → 3
APPEND(s,s2)	Combine strings	Obsolete; use string assignment s = s + s2 instead: s = "abc" s2 = "def" s = s + s2 s = "abcdef"

Example

The code example below shows a typical use case of using intrinsic functions to manipulate character strings. The code is for an OK button handler of a multi-selectable list window user interface, and it uses string intrinsics for converting the bit string received from the user interface to the row indices of the selected rows.

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ok_hlr(item, event_type, button_value)
{
    /*  Get the selections as a long string with "1" and "0" characters,
        indicating that the corresponding row in the list window was
        selected or was not selected.
    */
    selections = W_GET_WINDOW_ARG(ListW_h, W_LISTW_MSVALUE);
    
    /*  The length of the string is the same as the number 
        of the rows in the list window */
    nr_list_win_rows = STRLEN(selections);
    
    for( i=0; i<nr_list_win_rows; i=i+1; ){
        /* Get the i'th character in the string */
        row_selected = HEAD( SUBSTRING(selections,i), 1);
        
        if( row_selected == "1" ){
            U_MESSAGE("Row #"+ITOASCII(i)+" was selected.");
        }
        else{
            /* character == "0" */
            U_MESSAGE("Row #"+ITOASCII(i)+" was not selected.");
        }
    }
    return(99); /* 99 to terminate the tool */
}

Miscellaneous Functions

Function	Returns
ISINT(arg)	Based on the argument's data type, the logical true (int 1) or false (int 0)
ISFLOAT(arg)	Based on the argument's data type, the logical true (int 1) or false (int 0)
ISSTRING(arg)	Based on the argument's data type, the logical true (int 1) or false (int 0)
TRAP()	Starts the script debugger