SIMSCRIPT II.5 Programming Language

Programming Language Concepts
Examples:
1.0067E+10 1.0067+10
9.46755+04 9.46755E4
4.0E1 4.0+1
9.999-6 9.999E-06
5E6 5+6
3.4.2.4 T (Text) Descriptor
A descriptor of the form n T w is used to read and write formatted text from and to an external
medium. The descriptor is similar in form and action to the I descriptor. The variable to be read
or printed must have been declared as a text variable. Text literals appearing in a write list
must be output using a T format descriptor.
When used for input, the statement reads as a text string the next w characters from the current input
record. Any printable character that can be typed on a terminal or input record, including blanks,
will be accepted as part of the string. The input record column position indicator is advanced by
the field width.
When used in output statements, the T format displays successive characters, starting from the leftmost
position of a string, and displaying from the leftmost column position within the field. Each
character of the string is printed until either the string is exhausted or the end of field is reached. In
either case, the output record column position indicator is advanced to the end of the field.
In cases where the length of a text variable is not known, or may vary, the entire text variable
may be simply output using the format:
write text variable as t *
which begins writing at the current output column and continues writing until the entire text string
is printed. If the output string will not fit on the remaining space on the output record, the string
may overflow to one or more subsequent records. The output record column is positioned after the
last character written.
3.4.2.5 A (Alphanumeric) Descriptor
Any printable character that can be typed on a terminal or input record, including a blank character,
may be read under an alpha format. The alphanumeric descriptor n A w is similar to the I descriptor
in form and action. On input, the content of a specific field is assigned as the value of a corresponding
variable in the read list. This variable must have been declared as alpha. The manner
in which characters read are placed within the alpha variable may vary, depending on machine and
alpha implementation. In general, where only one character is represented in each alpha vari-
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