MATBUILD

This statement is used to create a dynamic array out of a dimensioned array.

COMMAND SYNTAX

    MATBUILD variable FROM array{, expression1{, expression2}} { USING expression3}

SYNTAX ELEMENTS

variable is the jBC variable into which the created dynamic array will be stored. Array is a previously dimensioned and assigned matrix from which the dynamic array will be created.

expression1 and expression2 should evaluate to numeric integers. expression1 specifies the array element from which the extraction starts; expression2 specifies the array element on which the extraction ends (inclusive).

By default, each array element is separated in the dynamic array by a field mark. By specifying expression3, the separator character can be changed. If expression3 evaluates to more than a single character, only the first character of the string is used.

NOTES

When specifying extraction starting and ending positions with multi-dimensional arrays, it is necessary to expand the matrix into its total number of variables for calculating the correct element number. See the information about dimensioned arrays earlier in this chapter for detailed instructions on calculating element numbers.

EXAMPLE

       DIM A(40)
       MAT A = 'VALUE '
       FOR V.I = 1 TO 40
           A(V.I) := V.I
       NEXT V.I
       MATBUILD Dynamic FROM A, 3, 7 USING ":"
       CRT Dynamic               ;* VALUE 3:VALUE 4:VALUE 5:VALUE 6:VALUE 7

Builds a 5 element string separated by ":" character. "MATBUILD Dynamic FROM A" builds a field mark separated dynamic array from every element contained in the matrix A.