DATA

Description

The DATA statement holds a list of items that can be inserted into the program. The data is brought into the program with the READ command.

Syntax

1. data "One", "Two", "Three", "Four", "Five"
2. data 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
3. data "Jim", 44, "Bob", 37, "Cliff", 53

Hints

DATA statements can be placed anywhere in the program but are typically placed at the end of the program listing where they can be easily edited or modified.

DATA statements placed in subs or functions are "local" to the sub or function and cannot be READ by the main program. However, DATA statements within a GOSUB routine code block, which is accessed by a gosub(branchLabel) command, will be read in normal order. See Example.

In Just BASIC, you cannot read data directly into an array. Data must first be READ into a variable before it can be assigned to an array element. See example.

If your program tries to READ more DATA statements than are provided, you will cause an error. Consider placing a "flag" as the last element in your data statements, such as "end", and testing for this flag. Halt all READs when the flag is encountered.

You can start READing the data over again with the first DATA statement (or with other, marked by label) by issuing the RESTORE command.

Example

' Read and print column headings and row numbers.
    print "TABLE ONE"
    print
    for i = 1 to 5
        read headg$
        print headg$,
    next i
    print

    for i = 1 to 5
        read row
        print row
    next i
    print
    end

    data "One", "Two", "Three", "Four", "Five"
    data 101, 22, 345, 447, 5

'Using DATA statements to fill an array:

' In Just BASIC, data must first be read into a variable before
'  it can be assigned to an array element.
    dim myArray$(5)            'dimension size of array
    for i = 1 to 5            'start a loop to read DATA
        read item$            'assign data item to variable
        myArray$(i) = item$    'assign variable to array element #(i)
    next i                    'get next DATA item
    '.
    '.
    data "Name", "Address", "City", "State", "Zip"
    end

DATA statements within a GOSUB routine

' dimension array to 10 elements
    dim A(10)

' data statements...
    data 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10
    data 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20

' This loop will read the contents for the first 3 DATA statements that it finds.
' It will first read data 1-10, then the next statement, data 11-20.
' The third data statement is found in the [morenumbers] branch, and data 31-40
' will be read because data statements listed here are "seen" by the main program.
    for k = 1 to 3
        for x = 1 to 10   ' This loop reads 10 numbers into the array
            READ y
            A(x) = y
        next x
    next k

' program branches to the subroutine
    gosub [morenumbers]

    for x = 1 to 10    ' This loop will PRINT the numbers in the array ...
        print A(x)     ' (that were loaded in the subroutine)
    next x
    end

' This is the GOSUB subroutine. DATA statements in this subroutine are
'  "global" and can be read by the main program. Be aware that data 31-40
'  has already been read earlier in the program.

[morenumbers]
    data 31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40    ' more data statements...
    data 41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50

    for x = 1 to 10
        READ y    ' Reads numbers 41 to 50 because numbers 31 to 40 are in
                  ' the 3rd DATA statement which has already been read.
        A(x) = y
    next x
    return        'back to main program

Useful Procedures

' Place a useful function using this keyword here