[Tutorial] [Blitz] Variables

[shorthair]

Variables
Variables may be of any basic data type, or a custom type. A variable's type is determined by a special character that follows its identifier.

Variable Types
These special characters are called 'type tags' and are:

% = For integer variables

# = For floating point variables

$ = For string variables

.{typename} For custom type variables


Here are some examples of valid variables:

code:

Score% Lives% x_speed# y_speed# name$ title$ ali.Alien player.Player

The type tag only needs to be added the first time you use a variable, after that you can leave the type tag off if you wish.

If you don't supply a type tag the first time a variable is used, the variable defaults to an integer.


It is illegal to use the same variable name with a different type. For example, if you already have an integer variable called 'name%', it is illegal to also have a string variable called 'name$'


Setting Variables

The '=' keyword is used to assign a value to a variable. For example:

code:

score%=0

... assigns the value '0' to the integer variable 'score'.

Variable Scope


Variables may also be either 'global', or 'local'. This refers to where in a program a variable may be used.

- Global variables can be used from anywhere in the program.

- Local variables can only be used within the function they are created in.

The 'Global' keyword is used to define one or more global variables. For example:

code:

Global Score=0,Lives=3,Player_up=1 ... defines 3 global variables. Similarly, 'Local' is used to define local variables: Local temp_x=x,temp_y=y

If you use a variable without defining it as either local or global, it defaults to being local.

[jonos]

thankyou for the tutorial. your getting me wanting to learn blitz. keep em coming.