Arguments (System function)

<section begin=dpl_desc/>Get Invocation Arguments<section end=dpl_desc/>

Arguments is a member of the System class.

This shared function returns the arguments passed in the INCLUDE command for the procedure that contained the Begin statement for the current request.

The Arguments method is available in Sirius Mods 7.2 and later.

Syntax

  %args = %(system):Arguments

Syntax Terms

%args

A string to contain the arguments passed on the INCLUDE command.

%(system)

The class name in parentheses denotes a shared method.

Usage Notes

• The Arguments method provides functionality similar to that provided by “??” dummy string arguments, with some important differences:
  • It is processed at evaluation time, not compile time.
  • The entire argument string is returned in one string, providing much more flexibility in how the argument list is parsed.
  • Arguments does not “eat” the arguments. That is, it can be invoked as often as you want, and it always returns the same values for a particular request invocation.
  • Arguments does not prompt the user for arguments if none were specified; it simply returns a null. This makes it possible for arguments to be optional.
  • Arguments makes request invocation arguments available to procedures Included by the outermost evaluating procedure.
• As shown in the “Examples” section, below, the Arguments method returns everything after the INCLUDEd procedure name, including any blanks or commas after the procedure name.

Examples

If procedure FOO contains the following:

    b
    printText {~} = '{%(system):arguments}'
    end

The requests (preceded by >) below produce the outputs shown on the line that follows the request:

    > I FOO This is a test
    %(system):arguments = ' This is a test'

    > I FOO,This is a test
    %(system):arguments = ',This is a test'

    > I FOO              This is a test
    %(system):arguments = '              This is a test'

    > I FOO This,is,a,test
    %(system):arguments = ' This,is,a,test'

    > I FOO
    %(system):arguments = ''

Note that the same values, above, would be printed if FOO contained:

    b
    i fooInner
    end

and procedure FOOINNER contained:

    printText {~} = '{%(system):arguments}'