Reference an action routine.

action ROUTINE_NAME

Set the currently active region, dialog box, dialog control, or table.

activate OBJECT_NAME

Create a new object, action bar item, or action bar template during runtime.

# For objects and Items

add {ITEM_DEF|OBJECT_DEF}

# For Action Bar Templates

add action bar AB_NAME is

[PULLDOWN_DEF_OR_REF] ...

[BUTTON_DEF_OR_REF] ...

end action bar

Add an item to an action bar or pull-down at runtime.

add item ITEM_NAME1 to

{action bar|pulldown PD_NAME

[from AB_NAME]}

in {REG_NAME|REG_CLS_NAME}

[{before|after} item ITEM_NAME2

[from AB_NAME] ]

Add an existing item, or class of items, to a class of items.

add item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME] | ITEM_CLS_NAME}

to item class ITEM_CLS_NAME

Add drawing statements to the contents of an object.

# For Graphical Objects

add to {G_OBJ_NAME|G_CLS_NAME}

[at [position] X Y]

DRAWING_STATEMENT [...]

# For Textual Regions

add to {TR_NAME|TR_CLS_NAME}

[at [position] ]

column COL_NO line LINE_NO

TEXT_DRAWING_STATEMENT [...]

# For List Boxes

add to {LB_NAME|LB_CLS_NAME}

INSERT_STATEMENT [...]

#For Sliders

add to {SL_NAME|SL_CLS_NAME}

INSERT_STATEMENT [...]

# For Spin Buttons

add to {SB_NAME|SB_CLS_NAME}

INSERT_STATEMENT [...]

# For Image Regions

add to {IR_NAME|IR_CLS_NAME}

INSERT_STATEMENT

Add new rows or columns to a table at runtime.

add to TABLE_NAME

{COLUMN_DEFINITION | ROW_DEFINITION} ...

Add an existing object, or a class of objects, to a class of objects.

add {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

to class DESTCLASS_NAME

Allow a drop to occur in the current object.

allow drop

Append one or more string values to a string variable.

append VALUE1 [VALUE2] ... to STRING_VAR_NAME

Group multiple response definitions within one action statement.

begin [guarded|resumable] [BLOCK_NAME]

   [RESPONSE_DEFINITION] ...

end [BLOCK_NAME]

Call a subroutine.

call SUBROUTINE_NAME ([ARG1 [,ARG2] ...])

Replace the drawing statements in an object or all the objects in a class.

change [graphics]

{OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME} to

[DRAWING_STATEMENT] ...

Change the action bar associated with a region or with all the regions in a class.

change {REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

action bar to AB_NAME

Change the column delimiter used in text strings.

change TABLE_NAME column delimiter to 

{csv|tab|STRING}

Change the format string for a column.

change column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME format

to FORMAT_STRING

Change the text of a column in a table object.

change column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME

heading to TEXT

Change the position of a column in a table object.

change column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME position

{by OFFSET|to {POSITION|beginning|end}

#OR#

{after|before} column COL_ID}

Change the width of a column.

change column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME width

{by OFFSET|to SIZE}

Change the cell cursor to a different cell.

change TABLE_NAME cursor

{by XOFFSET YOFFSET|to X Y}

Change the key the user must press to start edit mode.

change TABLE_NAME edit key to ACCEL_KEY

Change the maximum value for a numeric spin button.

change SPINBUTTON_NAME maximum to INT_VAL

Change the minimum value for a numeric spin button.

change SPINBUTTON_NAME minimum to INT_VAL

Change the popup menu associated with a region or class of regions.

change {REGION_NAME|REGION_CLASS_NAME}

popup menu to STANDALONE_PULLDOWN_NAME

Change the position of an object.

change {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME} position

{by XOFFSET YOFFSET|to X Y}

[in PARENT_NAME]

Change the precision for displaying floating point values.

change precision to PRECISION

Change the priority of an object.

change {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

priority to PRIORITY

Change the row delimiter used in text strings.

change TABLE_NAME row delimiter to STRING

Change the width of multiple row headings.

change TABLE_NAME row headings width

{to|by} N

Change the position of a row in a table object.

change row ROWNUM of TABLE_NAME position

{by OFFSET|to {POSITION|beginning|end}

#OR#

{after|before} row ROWNUM}

Change the viewport size of a region, a class of regions, or a dialog control.

change {REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME|CONTROL_NAME}

size {by XOFFSET YOFFSET|to X Y}

Change the display text of a dialog box, dialog control, title bar, or item.

# For Dialog Boxes, Dialog Controls, and Regions' Title Bars

change OBJECT_NAME text to TEXT_STRING

# For Items

change item {ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME] |ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

in {REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME} text to ITEM_TEXT

Transfer control to another ESL program.

change to program PROGRAM_NAME

Change the value of a dialog box, dialog control, title bar, or item.

# For Dialog Boxes, Dialog Controls, and Regions' Title Bars

change OBJECT_NAME value to TEXT_STRING

# For Items

change item {ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME] |ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

in {REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME} value to ITEM_TEXT

Change the position of the window of a region or box.

# For Graphical Regions, Image Regions, Sense Regions, and Tables

change {OBEJCT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

window position {[by] XOFFSET YOFFSET|to X Y}

# For Textual Regions, List Boxes, and Combination Boxes

change {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

window position {[by] COLUMNS [columns] LINES [lines]

|to [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO}

Scroll the table so the current cell is displayed.

change TABLE_NAME window position to sursor

Change the size of the window of a graphical, image, sense, or textual region.

# For Graphical, Image and Sense Regions

change {REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

window size [by|to] X Y

#For Textual Regions

change {TR_NAME|TR_CLASS_NAME} window size

[by|to] COLUMNS columns LINES lines

Check a radio button, check box, or choice item.

# For Radio Buttons and Check Boxes

check OBJECT_NAME

# For Choices

check item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME]

|ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

in {REG_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

Delete the contents of an object.

# For Graphical Regions, Image Regions, Textual Regions, and Keys

clear [graphics] {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

# For Dialog Regions, Dialog Boxes, and Dialog Controls

clear {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

 
# For Tables

clear 

[row ROW_ID of

|column COLUMN_ID of

|column COL_ID of ROWNUM of ]

TABLE_NAME

Disable use of a mouse.

close mouse

Copy values to or from a variable, the clipboard, a structure, or a table row or cell.

copy

VALUE1 [VALUE2]... to

{ clipboard

| VAR

| VAR[N1...Nn]

| STRUCT_2

| row ROWNUM of TABLE_NAME

| cell column COL_ID of row ROWNUM

of TABLE_NAME

| cell COL_ID, ROWNUM of TABLE_NAME }

#OR#

copy

{ STRUCT_1|row ROWNUM of TABLE_NAME }

to

{ STRUCT_2

| row ROWNUM of TABLE_NAME

| cell column COL_ID of row ROWNUM

of TABLE_NAME

| cell COL_ID, ROWNUM of TABLE_NAME}

Remove the emphasis from a text segment in a textual region or all text segments in a class of textual regions.

deemphasize {TR_NAME | TR_CLASS_NAME}

Delete an object.

delete {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

Delete an action bar from a region or class.

delete action bar from

{REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

Remove an object, or a class of objects, from a class.

delete {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

from class DESTCLASS_NAME

Remove an item from a region or class of regions.

delete item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME] |

ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

in {REG_CLASS_NAME|REGION_NAME}

Remove an item, or a class of items, from a class.

delete item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME]|ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

from item class ITEM_CLASS_NAME

Delete a popup menu from a region or class.

delete popup menu from

{REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

Deselect a column, row, or table.

deselect

[ column COL_ID of

| row ROW_ID of]

TABLE_NAME

Deselect a line in a list box.

deselect line LINE_NO in LB_NAME

Disable an object or item.

# For Objects

disable {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

# For Items

disable item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME] | ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

in {REG_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

Initiate a drag operation.

drag DATA_STR type TYPE_STR

using [icon] ICON_FILE

Add emphasis to a text segment in a textual region.

emphasize segment

[column] COL1_NO [line] LINE1_NO

[thru [column] COL2_NO [line] LINE2_NO]

in TR_NAME

Enable an object or item.

# For Objects

enable {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

# For Items

enable item

{ITEM_NAME {from AB_NAME]|ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

in {REG_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

Terminate the current ESL program.

exit [EXIT_CODE]

Extract data fields from an input string and assign them to a variable.

extract from SOURCE

[skip {by|to} {word|number|last|marker|float|TEXT|COLUMN}]

take {by|to} {word|number|last|marker|float|TEXT|COLUMN} VAR_NAME

[[take {by|to} {word|number|last|marker|float|TEXT|COLUMN} VAR_NAME

|skip {by|to} {word|number|last|marker|float|TEXT|COLUMN}] ...]

Find a specified string of text in a textual region.

find in TR_NAME

[from [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO] STRING

Find a text string in a table.

find in

{TABLE_NAME

column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME

row ROW_ID of TABLE_NAME

column COL_ID of row ROW_ID of TABLE_NAME }

[from [ [row] ROW_ID | next] [selected]

[ignore case] [complete|beginning] ]

STRING

Perform actions on first-level children of a specified object.

for each child STRING_VARIABLE

of OBJECT_NAME loop [LOOP_NAME]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

[leave loop [LOOP_NAME] ]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

end loop [LOOP_NAME]

Specify action statements to be performed on members of an object class.

for each member of CLASS_NAME

loop [LOOP_NAME]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

[ leave loop [LOOP_NAME] ]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

end loop [LOOP_NAME]

Perform actions for selected lines in a multiple selection list box.

for each selected line of LB_NAME

loop [LOOP_NAME]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

[ leave loop [LOOP_NAME] ]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

end loop [LOOP_NAME]

Perform actions for rows/columns in a table.

for each [selected] {row|column} VARIABLE

of TABLE_NAME

loop [LOOP_NAME}

ACTION_STATEMENT ...

end loop [LOOP_NAME]

Specify a set of action statements to be performed repeatedly.

for INTEGER_VAR_NAME = VALUE1 to VALUE2

[by VALUE3]

loop [LOOP_NAME]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

[ leave loop [LOOP_NAME] ]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

end loop [LOOP_NAME]

Turn highlighting on or off.

highlight {[color] COLOR|off}

Specify a set of action statements for conditional execution.

if BOOLEAN_VALUE then

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

[else

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...]

end if

Initialize a single structure element.

initialize STRUCT

Execute another application.

invoke PROGRAM_NAME [COMMAND_LINE_OPTIONS]

Explicitly leave (exit) a block.

leave block [BLOCK_NAME]

Explicitly leave (exit) a loop.

leave loop [LOOP_NAME]

Change the color of a text block in a colored textual region.

make CTR_NAME {block|segment}

[column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO

[thru [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO

[foreground [color] COLOR] [background]

[color] COLOR

COLOR Change the border color of a graphical, image, or textual region.

make {REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

border [color] COLOR

Change the visibility of the border in a region.

make {REGION_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

border {visible|invisible}

Change the background or foreground color of keys, regions, and objects.

# For Keys

make {KEY_NAME|KEY_CLASS_NAME}

[foreground] [color] COLOR

# For Regions and Controls

make {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

[background|foreground]

[color] COLOR

# For Dialog Regions and Boxes

make {DIALOG_NAME|DIALOG_CLASS_NAME}

[background] [color] COLOR

Change the visibility of column grid lines.

make TABLE_NAME column grid

{visible|invisible}

Make a column visible or invisible.

make column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME

{visible|invisible}

Change the parameter string of a column.

make column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME

parameter PAR_STRING

Make a column read-only or editable.

make column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME

{readonly|editable}

Make a column resizable or not resizable.

make column COL_ID of TABLE_NAME

[not] resizeable

Change the visibility of the text cursor in a textual region.

make {TR_NAME|TR_CLASS_NAME} cursor

{visible|invisible}

Enable or disable editing of the current cell.

make TABLE_NAME {edit|accept|cancel}

Make a table editable or read-only.

make TABLE_NAME {readonly|editable}

Change the help ID of an object or item.

# For Objects

make {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

[extended] helpid HELP_ID

# For Items

make item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME]|ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

helpid HELP_ID

Change the visibility of an object or class.

make {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

{visible|invisible}

Maximize a region or class.

make OBJECT maximize

Minimize a region or class.

make OBJECT minimize

Change the parameter of an object or item.

# For Objects

make {OBJECT_NAME|CLASS_NAME}

parameter PAR_STRING

# For Items

make item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME]|ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

parameter PAR_STRING

Make window handle permanent.

make {DB_NAME|DR_NAME} permanent

Control processing of response to input from the mouse.

make point disposition

[mouse] {normal|drop}

Make columns in a table resizable.

make TABLE_NAME [not] resizeable

Restore a region or class.

make OBJECT restore

Change the visibility of row grid lines.

make TABLE_NAME row grid {visible|invisible}

Change the color of a text segment in a colored textual region.

make CTR_NAME {block|segment}

[column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO

[thru [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO

[foreground [color] COLOUR] [background]

[color] COLOR

Control ESL’s processing of responses to stimuli from a stimulus library.

make stimulus disposition

{STIMULUS_NAME|all} {normal|hold}

Control processing of responses to input.

make string disposition

{keyboard|APPLICATION_NAME}

{normal|drop|hold}

Make window handle temporary.

make {DB_NAME|DR_NAME} temporary

Enable use of a mouse.

open mouse

Print ESL textual regions and graphical regions.

plot {OBJECT_NAME|screen}

[OPTIONS_STRING]

Where options string contains comma or tab delimited values:

[printer PRINTER_NAME][[,|\t]nobackground][[,|\t]noctext][[,|\t]invertbw]

Read in the contents of a file.

# For Textual Regions

read [colored] file FILE_NAME in TR_NAME

# For List Boxes, Combination Boxes,
# Spin Buttons, and Tables

read file ASCII_FILE_NAME into

{BOX_NAME|SPIN_NAME|TABLENAME}

#For Image Regions

read file IMG_FILE_NAME into IR_NAME

[using IMAGE_MAP]

Redraw a specified object.

refresh OBJECT_NAME

Remove objects from a textual region, list box, spin button, or table.

# For Textual Regions

remove

{[line] LINE_NO [thru [line] LINE_NO]

| segment [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO

[thru [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO]

| block [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO

[thru [column] COL_NO [line] LINE_NO]}

from TR_NAME

# For List Boxes and Spin Buttons

remove [line] LINE_NO [thru [line] LINE_NO]

from [LB_NAME|SB_NAME]

# For Tables

remove

{ column COL1_ID [thru column COL2_ID]

| row ROW1_ID [thru row ROW2_ID] }

from TABLE_NAME

Increase or decrease an array’s range of subscripts.

resize array ARRAY_NAME to DIMENSION

Save the current state of a program.

save program as PROGRAM_NAME

Select a column, row, or table.

select

[ column COL_NO of | row ROW_ID of ]

TABLE_NAME

Select a line in a list box.

select line LINE_NO in LB_NAME

Send information to a local or remote application or to the errorlog.

send VALUE [VALUE]...

to {errorlog|APPLICATION_NAME}

Specify a help panel for Keys help.

set keys helpid to HELP_ID

Define the minimum free memory needed for a program.

set low memory threshold to BYTE_SIZE

Change the appearance of the mouse pointer.

set pointer to POINTER_VALUE [in FILE_NAME]

Eliminate fragmentation of memory.

squeeze memory

Start communications with an application.

start

{ local LOCAL_APP_NAME

PROGRAM_NAME [PARAMETERS]

| remote {REMOTE_APP_NAME_PORT|REMOTE_IP_ADDRESS}

[CHARACTERISTICS]}

Stop an application program.

stop {APPLICATION_NAME|all}

Perform pattern matching on a string value.

switch STRING_VALUE is

case {char|line}

[col NUM1 [thru NUM2]]{STRING|word|number|blank} is

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

[case {char|line}

[col NUM1 [thru NUM2]]{STRING|word|number|blank} is

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...] ...

default is

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

end switch

Record the action statement performed.

[turn] trace {on|off}

Uncheck a radio button, check box, or choice item.

# For Radio Buttons and Check Boxes

uncheck OBJECT_NAME

# For Choices

uncheck item

{ITEM_NAME [from AB_NAME]|ITEM_CLASS_NAME}

in {REG_NAME|REG_CLASS_NAME}

Suspend all system processing for a specified number of seconds.

wait SECONDS

Specify action statements to be repeated while a condition is true.

 while BOOLEAN_VALUE loop [LOOP_NAME]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

[ leave loop [LOOP_NAME] ]

[ACTION_STATEMENT] ...

end loop

Write a textual, image, or graphical region, or a table to a file.

# For Textual Regions and Tables

write [append|destructive]

{TR_NAME|TABLE_NAME}

to [colored] file FILE_NAME

# For Image Regions and Graphical Regions

write REGION_NAME to file FILE_NAME