Data
Statement to store data at compile time.
Syntax
`
Data constant_expression1 [,constant_expression2]...
`
Description
`Data` stores a list of constant numeric or alphabetical expressions that are evaluated at compile time (except with -lang qb) and stored as constants that can be read into variables by using `Read`.
All the `Data` statements in the program behave as a single chained list; after the last element of one `Data` statement is read, the first element of the following `Data` statement will be read.
The program should not attempt to `Read` after the last `Data` element. The results are (in all dialects) undefined, and the program may crash (Page Fault).
`Data` statements are only visible from within the module in which they are defined.
`Data` constants can only be of simple types (numeric or string). A numeric value can be read as a numeric literal into a string. A string read into a numeric variable will be evaluated by the `Val` function. `Const`s can be used as items of data except in the -lang qb dialect, where their names are considered as normal text.
The "`Restore label`" statement makes the first `Data` item after the `label` the next item to be read, allowing the user to choose specific sections of data to read.
`Data` is normally used to initialize variables. FreeBASIC also allows the initialization of static variables when they are `Dim`ensioned - see Variable Initializers for more information.
Example
`
' Create an array of 5 integers and a string to hold the data.
Dim As Integer h(4)
Dim As String hs
Dim As Integer readindex
' Set up to loop 5 times (for 5 numbers... check the data)
For readindex = 0 To 4
' Read in an integer.
Read h(readindex)
' Display it.
Print "Number" ; readindex ; " = " ; h(readindex)
Next readindex
' Spacer.
Print
' Read in a string.
Read hs
' Print it.
Print "String = " + hs
' Await a keypress.
Sleep
' Exit program.
End
' Block of data.
Data 3, 234, 435/4, 23+433, 87643, "Good" + "Bye!"
`
Dialect Differences

- -lang fb and -lang fblite considers data items as constant expressions that are evaluated during compilation and its result stored in the program.
- -lang qb considers unquoted words, including names of variables and constants, as literal strings, and stores them without change, as in QBASIC. Unquoted strings are delimited by commas, and a colon or a line-break signifies the end of the `Data` statement. Unquoted strings are trimmed of whitespace at the beginning and end.

Differences from QB

- Outside of the -lang qb dialect, alphabetic string literals must be enclosed within quotation marks, in QBASIC this was optional.
- In QBASIC empty items evaluated to number `0` or to empty strings, in FreeBASIC they give a compile error. In QBASIC a comma at the end of the statement made an additional, empty item, evaluated to `0` or an empty string. In FreeBASIC they give a compile error.

See also

- `Read`
- `Restore`