KEYWORD

In its first form, the STx command KEYWORD searches for a keyword, or for the (non-unique) abbreviation of a keyword, in a list of keywords. In its second form, it simply checks a list of keywords for the presence of a keyword with a given index.

Searching for a keyword or its abbreviation

The KEYWORD command searches for a keyword, or for the (non-unique) abbreviation of a keyword, in a list of keywords. It is supplied a single string testValue (the keyword to search, or its abbreviation), and a list of blank-separated keyword arguments, keyword₀ [ … keyword_n ]. The command returns the zero-based index of the first keyword in keyword₀ [ … keyword_n ] equal to (if option /Full is supplied), or starting with, testValue. If keyword₀ [ … keyword_n ] does not contain an appropriate keyword, the command will return -1.

var := KEYWORD [ /Full [ /Casesensitive ] ] /- testValue keyword0 [ … keywordn ]

testValue

the keyword to locate in keywordList, or its abbreviation. Note that the KEYWORD command does not expect a unique abbreviation - it will simply return the first keyword starting with testValue, even if there are dozens more.

keyword₀ [ … keyword_n ]

a blank-separated list of keywords

/Full

if specified, the function searches for the first entry exactly equal to testValue, meaning that abbreviations will not be found.

/Casesensitive

If used in conjunction with /Full, the comparison is case sensitive. Without /Full, this option will be ignored and will have no effect whatsoever.

See also the fine WORD command.

Examples

// will return 0, because "toll" starts with "to"
#index := keyword /- to toll too to Toledo

// will return 2, because "/Full" looks for strict equality
#index := keyword /Full /- to toll too to Toledo

// will return 3, because "tofu" starts with "to"
// note that "alas toll" is one argument
#index := keyword /- to 'alas toll' fine backyard tofu

// will return 1, because "toll" starts with "to"
// note compare this with the previous example
#index := keyword /- to alas toll fine backyard tofu

// will return -1, because the keyword list does not contain "To"
#index := keyword /Full /Casesensitive /- To toll too to Toledo

// will return 0, because "/Casesensitive" is valid only with "/Full",
// and so it is ignored here!
#index := keyword /Casesensitive /- To toll too to Toledo

Checking for the presence of an index

Instead of a keyword, or its abbreviation, the KEYWORD command may be supplied an integer. It will then check if this integer is a valid index in the respective keyword list. If this is the case, it will return the unmodified index. Otherwise, it will return -1.

var := KEYWORD index keyword0 [ … keywordn ]

// will return 2, simply because there is a keyword with index 2
#index := KEYWORD 2 a b c d

// will return -1, because there is no keyword with index 17
// (there are only four keywords, meaning that indexes will
// range from 0 to 3, only)
#index := KEYWORD 17 a b c d