.
| Syntax |
identifier1 . identifier2
|
| Action |
Names an Object Database cell. The value of a "dotted-ID" expression is the value contained in the database cell. Identifier1 refers to a database table, and identifier2 refers to an item in that table. The item need not already exist for the id to be valid. In an assignment, for example, the assignment statement itself will create the named entry to store the value.
|
| Examples |
scratchpad.x = 7 Assigns the numeric value 7 to the item named "x" in the table named "scratchpad." If "x" already exists, its previous value is replaced; it not, a new value is created. examples.age » 46
Yields the value of the database cell named "age" in the "examples" table.
This example demonstrates the use of bracket notation inside a dotted id. First, the expression "user.initials" is evaluated. The resulting value is used to name an item in the "people" table, the one belonging to the current user. Finally, the item named |
| Notes |
As illustrated in the third example above, a dotted-ID pair can be used as the identifier for the table in another dotted-ID pair. The full database path to an item is a series of dotted-IDs, starting with the root table. (Though, for brevity, the "root" table itself can be - and often is - omitted.)
|
| See Also |
@
|
