permanent
VARIABLES

The permanent statement creates one or more permanent variables.


Parameters

This statement has one parameter:

variables – is a list of variables to be created. Each variable should be separated from the next by a comma. If a variable name contains spaces or punctuation, or begins with any character except a letter or underscore, it should be surrounded by chevron (« ») characters.


Description

This statement creates one or more permanent variables. Like fileglobal variables, permanent variables are associated with a particular database – in fact, permanent variables are fileglobal variables. Unlike regular fileglobal variables, however, permanent variables are permanently attached to the current database. Whenever that database is saved, the permanent variables are saved along with it. When the database is opened, these variables will be automatically re-created and filled with the previous data. Permanent variables are very useful for preferences, passwords, etc. Note: The dbinfo( function can create a list of the permanent variables associated with a database.

The example creates two permanent variables, SalesTaxRate and EarlyDiscount.

permanent SalesTaxRate, EarlyDiscount

Permanent variables may be used just like any other variable. You may change the value of the variable with an assignment, like this:

SalesTaxRate=0.075

When the database is saved, the SalesTaxRate will also be saved. Note: If you close the file without saving, the new SalesTaxRate value will not be saved!

A permanent variable is forever, unless you destroy it with the unpermanent statement. Once you’ve created the permanent variable, it will remain forever attached to the database, even if you never run the procedure containing the permanent statement again – or even if you delete that procedure! On the other hand, there’s no harm in running the permanent statement twice for the same variable, it will simply continue to use the already created permanent variable.

Permanent values can be used with shared databases, but they aren’t shared. Each local copy of the database has its own private copy of the permanent variables. If a user changes the value of a permanent variable, that is not shared with other users of the same shared database. There is no way that one user can find out what another user’s permanent variables contain, but there is a way to change what values are stored in another user’s permanent variables. An administator can upload a New Generation of the Database including the permanent variables. This will replace the permanent variables on other users' copy of the database the next time they open it. For another option for sharing this type of information, consider using a server variable, which is stored on the server and shared with other users of the shared database. See Server Variables (Shared Variables) to learn more about these variables.


See Also


History

VersionStatusNotes
10.0No ChangeCarried over from Panorama 6.0