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| dcl_symbols [2018/10/23 19:41] – <code>...</code> tweaks lricker | dcl_symbols [2018/12/03 19:28] (current) – lricker |
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| ===== DCL Symbols ===== | ===== DCL Symbols ===== |
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| The term "//symbol//" is nothing more than an old-fashioned name for "//variable//" -- a DCL symbol is simply a DCL variable, just as Linux/Unix shells like bash have shell variables. | The term "//symbol//" is nothing more than an old-fashioned name for "//variable//" -- a DCL symbol is simply a DCL variable, just as Linux/Unix shells like bash have shell variables. The term "DCL //symbol//" likely just comes from terminology used by the DCL software developers in the 1970s, probably related to their use of the terms "global and local //symbol// tables;" the term "symbol" has no more magic in it than that. |
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| Shell variables are very useful, in scripts and on the command line itself, and DCL variables are just as useful for the same purposes. DCL variables are used for arithmetic and string computations/calculations, and as command aliases (short &/or memorable names for more complicated command verbs). | Shell variables are very useful, in scripts and on the command line itself, and DCL variables are just as useful for the same purposes. DCL variables are used for arithmetic and string computations/calculations, and as command aliases (short &/or memorable names for more complicated command verbs). |
