Chapter 4. Variables

Table of Contents
4.1. More About the Different Variable Types
4.1.1. Simple Types
4.1.2. Literals
4.1.3. Arrays
4.1.4. Executable Arrays
4.1.5. Dictionaries
4.2. Naming Variables in the User Dictionary

There are only a few simple types of variables in the Ripley system.

Table 4-1. Ripley Variable Types

Simple TypesThese are numbers or strings.
LiteralsThese are strings that are going to be evaluated against the dictionary stack as soon as they are executed.
ArraysAn array of items. It can include other arrays or dictionaries.
Excutable ArraysThis is an array of elements that is to be loaded into the execution stack and evaluated. It is the Ripley equivalent of a function.
DictionaryAn array of key value pairs that can be indexed by key.

The variable types are discussed in more details, with examples, in the following sections.