String variables are defined using DEFINE VARIABLE (or its alias LET). They can be read from and written to netCDF files. Arrays of strings may be defined and a limited number of algebraic operations are defined for string variables. They can be passed to go scripts and functions. Grave accents around a scalar string return the string.

yes? LET astring = "hello everyone"
yes? LIST/NOHEAD astring
       "hello everyone"
yes? message `astring`
!-> message hello everyone
hello everyone
 Hit Carriage Return to continue

7.1.1 String arrays

Strings in arrays may be of variable length. The syntax {"a","b","c"} denotes an array of strings. Two commas in a row denotes a null (missing value) string. Single and double quoted strings are both allowed, but must match for an individual string, e.g. 'P" is not valid.

Examples: the following define and list valid string arrays:

yes? LET a =  {"s1","s2", ,"s3"}

yes? LIST a
            {"s1","s2", ,"s3"}
1   / 1:"s1"
2   / 2:"s2"
3   / 3:""  
4   / 4:"s3"

yes? LET b = {, 'string1','s2',,'cccc'}
yes? LIST/i=3:5 b
            {, 'string1','s2',,'cccc'} 
3   / 3:"s2"
4   / 4:""       
5   / 5:"cccc"  

yes? LET c = {'p', 'q', 'a longer string'}
yes? LIST/NOHEAD/ORDER=x c
       "p"            "q"            "a longer string"