Here's a quick example:

$_globalvariable is declared global, so it is "visible" not only to the main script, but to all functions and other called scripts ... available everywhere

$localvariable is "dimmed" only within the function myfunction(), therefore it's scope is local and can NOT be referenced outside that function. This rather poor example demonstrates that one can access a global variable $_globalvariable from anywhere, but a local variable ($localvariable) only from within the function (it's dimmed in the function) ... because it's local to the function, this variable can have any name you want (which is a good thing) ...

code:

---

break on

global $_globalvariable 

$_globalvariable = "global"

myfunction() 

?"local="  $localvariable     ; this doesn't work, $localvariable doesn't exist
?"global=" $_globalvariable 

exit 1

function myfunction
 dim $localvariable ; <--- here's the local DIM
 $localvariable = "local" 
 ?"local="  $localvariable 
 ?"global=" $_globalvariable 
endfunction

---

-Shawn

[ 14 November 2001: Message edited by: Shawn ]