VNAMEX Function

Arguments

expression

specifies a character constant, variable, or expression.

Restriction:

The value of the specified expression cannot denote an array reference.

If the VNAMEX function returns a value to a variable that has not yet been assigned a length, by default the variable is assigned a length of 200.

• VNAME returns the name of the specified variable. VNAMEX, however, evaluates the argument to determine a variable name. If the name is a known variable name, the function returns that name. Otherwise, the function returns a blank.

• VNAME does not accept an expression as an argument. VNAMEX accepts expressions, but the value of the specified variable cannot denote an array reference.

• Related functions return the value of other variable attributes, such as the variable label, informat, and format, among others. For a list, see the "Variable Information" functions in Functions and CALL Routines by Category.

array x(3) x1-x3;
array vx(3) $6 vx1 vx2 vx3 
      ('x1' 'x2' 'x3');
y=vnamex(vx(1));
z=vnamex('x'||'1');
put y=;
put z=;

y=x1
z=x1

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