AutoHotkey Community

Although I've been using AutoHotKey for some time now, I'm still uncertain
as to when Global and Static variables need to be used.

I'm also not real clear on the difference between them.

And, are functions the only way they can be declared. Seems like I
remember seeing somewhere that variables ending with numbers
are considered array variables and are then Global by nature.
Am I correct on that?

Thanks.

Global and static variables are both permanent, unlike local ones, but static are visible only to the function that created them. So, use them if you want this limited visibility.

All variables declared outside any function are global. Arrays can be local.

is there a way to make an array global without making all the variables in the function global? i.e. without using 'global' alone as the first word in the function?

For example, suppose my array is called extraInfo, and my functions performs a loop that sometimes adds entries to it of the form extraInfo%refNumber%:= refInfo...

_________________
Hardware: 1.8 GHz laptop with 4 GB ram, Windows XP/SP3
Software: Prevx, Privatefirewall, KeyScrambler.

Probably not.

HTH

thanks. that's a clever workaround.

_________________
Hardware: 1.8 GHz laptop with 4 GB ram, Windows XP/SP3
Software: Prevx, Privatefirewall, KeyScrambler.

So, the reason for naming Global Variables in a function is so that their
previous values are available to the function when it's called again. Right?

I'm still a little confused by the term "Global".
Does that mean that any Hotkey routine in my script has access to a
Global variable that was created by another Hotkey Routine in my script?
..or..
Does it mean that a Global Variable is available to all Hotkey Routines in
other AutoHotKey scripts that may have been launched either earlier or later?

Thanks.

Wrong, the reason to declaring variables global in a function is to allow the function to access variables with the same name to be accessed outside the function - essentionally this makes sure that a variable inside and outside the function are the "same" variable. If not declared global, variables inside functions are private to the function (even if a variable of the same name is used outside the function).

Subroutines (including Hotkey and Timer) can only access global variabes, again 'local' function variables cannot be seen/accessed outside the function where they are created.

Static variables, are simply local variables that remember their value each time the function is entered. Otherwise 'local' variables are 'empty' each time the function is entered.

@daonlyfreez



Declaring Global is redundant.. It is automatic when Local is used.

see if you can spot the difference:

_________________
Hardware: 1.8 GHz laptop with 4 GB ram, Windows XP/SP3
Software: Prevx, Privatefirewall, KeyScrambler.

No, they exist within one script.

YMP, Very nice catch, I completely/totally missed that!

You're right, assume-global, thanks!

Thanks Everyone. Global vars are no longer a mystery to me!