☜	$X M[UMPS] by Example					☞

Introduced in the 1977 ANSI M[UMPS] language standard.

Note: the value $X is an approximation of the current location of the horizontal position of the cursor on the current I/O device. There are many examples where the value of $X deviates significantly from the actual horizontal position of the cursor. This is a problem that is somewhat relieved by an addition in the 1995 standard.

> For I=1:1:50 Write I,"␣␣" If $X>20 Write !
1␣␣2␣␣3␣␣4␣␣5␣␣6␣␣7␣␣
8␣␣9␣␣10␣␣11␣␣12␣␣13␣␣
14␣␣15␣␣16␣␣17␣␣18␣␣19␣␣
20␣␣21␣␣22␣␣23␣␣24␣␣25␣␣
26␣␣27␣␣28␣␣29␣␣30␣␣31␣␣
32␣␣33␣␣34␣␣35␣␣36␣␣37␣␣
38␣␣39␣␣40␣␣

The value of $X is defined to be an approximation of the horizontal cursor coordinate, and the standard provides no guarantees about the accuracy of this approximation.

Addition in the 1995 ANSI M[UMPS] language standard.

This standard allows the value of $X to be re-defined in a Set command, so that, in case the value of $X lost synchronization with the actual value of the cursor, the programmer can correct the value of $X.

If the cursor is positioned using any of the functions from the ANSI X3.64 standard, the standard defines that the value of $X will be updated accurately.

Approved for addition in a future M[UMPS] Language Standard.

The initial value of $X is implementation-dependent. However, if the initial value of $IO is the empty string, then the initial value of $X is 0 (zero).

Copyright © Standard Documents; 1977-2024 MUMPS Development Committee;
Copyright © Examples: 1995-2024 Ed de Moel;
Copyright © Annotations: 2003-2008 Jacquard Systems Research
Copyright © Annotations: 2008-2024 Ed de Moel.

The information in this page is NOT authoritative and subject to be modified at any moment.
Please consult the appropriate (draft) language standard for an authoritative definition.

Some specifications are "approved for inclusion in a future standard". Note that the MUMPS Development Committee cannot guarantee that such future standards will indeed be published.

This page most recently updated on 15-Nov-2023, 13:07:11.

For comments, contact Ed de Moel (demoel@jacquardsystems.com)