Symbol |
Name and Usage |
' |
Apostrophe (39): Unary Not operator. Can be combined with relational operators: '= (not equal to), '< (not less than), '> (not greater than); or pattern match '(operand?pattern).
Unary Not operator. Can be combined with logical operators: '& (Not And) and '| (Not Or). Cannot be combined with && or || logical operators.
European numeric group separator. |
( ) |
Parentheses (40,41): Used to enclose a procedure or function parameter list. Parentheses are mandatory, even when empty.
Used to nest expressions; nesting overrides the InterSystems IRIS default of strict left-to-right evaluation of operators, and allows you to give precedence to expressions.
Used to specify array subscripts for a local variable: a(1,1), a global variable: ^a(1,1), or a process-private global: ^||a(1,1).
Used to enclose an alternating pattern match (following a ?).
With NEW and KILL commands, exclusive (everything but) indicator.
For postconditionals, required if postconditional contains a space.
Used to enclose embedded SQL code, following an &sql shell invocation command: &sql(SQL commands).
Regular expression match string (Boston) or string list (Boston|New York|Paris). Regular expression grouping construct.
When setting a JSON object or array value, used to enclose an ObjectScript literal or expression. |
* |
Asterisk (42): Multiplication operator.
In $ZSEARCH, wild card for zero, one, or more than one characters.
In $EXTRACT, $LIST, and $PIECE specifies the final item at the end of the string; can be used with a signed integer to specify offset from the end, for example *-2, *+1.
In WRITE command, specifies an integer code for a character. For example, WRITE *65 writes the letter “A”.
As prefix to $ZTRAP string value, specifies that call stack level should be left unchanged.
In ZBREAK a name prefix denoting a local variable. In certain error codes returned to $ZERROR, a name prefix denoting an undefined local variable, class, method, or property.
Regular expression 0 or more character quantifier. |
** |
Double asterisk: Exponentiation operator. For example, 4**3=64. |
*+ |
Asterisk plus: In SET $EXTRACT, SET $LIST, and SET $PIECE specifies offset beyond the last item of the string; used to append values. For example, *+1 appends an item to the end of string. |
*- |
Asterisk minus: In WRITE command, specifies a device control integer code. For example, WRITE *-10 clears the terminal input buffer.
In $EXTRACT, $LIST, $LISTGET, and $PIECE specifies offset backwards from the last item of the string; for example, *-1 is the next-to-last item. |
*/ |
Asterisk slash: Multi-line comment ending indicator. Comment begins with /*. |
+ |
Plus sign (43): Unary arithmetic positive operator. When appended to a string or a function that returns a string forces numeric evaluation; for example, WRITE +"007.0" or WRITE +$PIECE(str,",",2).
Addition operator.
Integer line count offset from a label: label+offset. In $ZTRAP, integer line count offset from top of a procedure: +offset^procname.
With LOCK and ZBREAK commands, a prefix that enables or applies/increments the item that follows.
Regular expression 1 or more character quantifier. |
+= |
Plus sign, Equal sign In commands and functions that output to a file, means that output data is appended to the existing file contents. Just an equal sign means that output data overwrites the contents of an existing file. See $ZF(-100). |
, |
Comma (44): In functions and procedures, multiple parameters separator.
In commands, multiple arguments delimiter.
In array variables, subscript levels separator.
Numeric group separator or decimal point character, depending on the locale. Configurable using the SetFormatItem()Opens in a new tab NLS class method.
In $ECODE, surround error code: ,M7, |
,, |
Two commas: In functions, a placeholder for an unspecified positional parameter (which takes a default value). |
– |
Minus sign (45): Unary arithmetic negative operator.
Subtraction operator.
With LOCK and ZBREAK commands, a prefix that disables or decrements/removes the item that follows.
Regular expression character range operator; for example [A-Z]. |
–– |
Double minus sign: With ZBREAK command, a prefix that removes the item that follows.
Regular expression subtract (except for) logical operator. |
. |
Period (46): Decimal point character or numeric group separator, depending on the locale. Configurable using the SetFormatItem()Opens in a new tab NLS class method.
Object dot syntax used to refer to a method or property of an object instance: myinstance.Name.
Windows and UNIX®: As a pathname or part of a pathname, specifies the current directory. Used by $ZSEARCH.
May be included within a global name or a routine name.
Prefix to a variable or array name in an actual parameter list that specifies passing by reference: SET x=$$Calc(num,.result).
Pattern match repeat indicator.
Regular expression single-character wildcard. |
.. |
Double period: relative dot syntax: a prefix that specifies a method or property of the current object. For example, WRITE ..foo()
Windows and UNIX®: As a pathname or part of a pathname, specifies the parent directory of the current directory. Used by $ZSEARCH. |
..# |
Double period, pound sign: A prefix for references to a class parameter from within a method of the same class. For example, WRITE ..#MyParam |
... |
Triple period (ellipsis): A suffix appended to the last (or only) parameter in a formal parameter list or actual parameter list that is used to specify a variable number of parameters. For example, Calc(x,y,params...). This syntax is commonly used with a dynamic dispatch method, such as Method %DispatchMethod(Method As %String,Params...)
In ZWRITE output, trailing ellipsis indicates string truncation.
In a Terminal prompt, leading characters that indicate that a long implied namespace has been truncated to its final 24 characters.
(This literal use of ellipsis in code should not be confused with format convention usage in our documentation, where ellipsis indicates that an argument can be repeated multiple times, or that a section of code is intentionally omitted.) |
/ |
Slash (47): Division operator (keep remainder).
In OPEN, CLOSE, and USE commands, I/O keyword parameter prefix. In READ and WRITE, device control mnemonic prefix.
With ZBREAK command, a subcommand prefix. |
// |
Double slash: Single-line comment indicator. |
/// |
Triple slash: Single-line comment indicator. Can be used in column 1 for macro comments. |
/* |
Slash asterisk: Multi-line comment begins indicator. Comment ends with */. |
: |
Colon (58): In commands, postconditional indicator, for example, WRITE:x=0 “nothing”.
In commands such as OPEN, USE, CLOSE, JOB, LOCK, READ, and ZBREAK a placeholder separator of arguments and/or separator of parameters within an argument. For example, LOCK var1:10,+var2:15, or OPEN "|TCP|4":(:4200:"PSTE"::32767:32767)
In $CASE and $SELECT functions, used to specify test:value paired items.
In a JSON object, used to specify a key:value pair. For example, SET JSONobj={"name":"Sam"}.
In $JOB special variable value, separates process ID (PID) and nodename. For example, 11368:MYCOMPUTER.
Prefix indicating an ObjectScript label within embedded ObjectScript code, such as SQL trigger code, where the label cannot be coded in column 1. |
; |
Semicolon (59): Single-line comment indicator. |
;; |
Double semicolon: Retained single-line comment indicator. |
< |
Less than (60): Less than operator. |
<= |
Less than, Equal sign: Less than or equal to operator. |
'< |
Not operator, Less than: Greater than or equal to operator. |
= |
Equal sign (61): Equal to comparison operator.
In SET command, assignment operator. |
'= |
Not operator, Equal sign: Not equal to comparison operator |
> |
Greater than (62): Greater than operator. |
>= |
Greater than, Equal sign: Greater than or equal to operator. |
'> |
Not operator, Greater than: Less than or equal to operator. |
? |
Question mark (63): Pattern match operator.
Regular expression 0 or 1 character quantifier suffix. Regular expression mode prefix. For example, (?i) case mode on; (?-i) case mode off.
In $ZCONVERT translation table results, represents an untranslatable character.
In $ZSEARCH, wild card for a single character.
In READ and WRITE commands, column position indicator.
In ZBREAK command, display help text.
In Dynamic SQL, an input parameter variable supplied by the %Execute() method. |
?# |
Question mark and pound sign: Regular expression embedded comment prefix. For example, (?# this is a comment). |
@ |
At sign (64): Indirection operator. For subscript indirection, appears as: @array@(subscript). |
A, a |
The letter “A” (65,97): Pattern match code (following a ?). |
C, c |
The letter “C” (67,99): Pattern match code (following a ?). |
E, e |
The letter “E” (69,101): Scientific notation operator. for example, 4E3=4000. The uppercase “E” is the standard exponent operator; the lowercase “e” is a configurable exponent operator, using the ScientificNotation() method of the %SYSTEM.ProcessOpens in a new tab class.
Pattern match code (following a ?). |
I, i |
The letter “I” (73,105): Integer indicator in $NUMBER function. |
i% |
The letter “i” percent: instance variable syntax: i%propertyname. |
L, l |
The letter “L” (76,108): Pattern match code (following a ?). |
N, n |
The letter “N” (78,110): Pattern match code (following a ?). |
P, p |
The letter “P” (80,112): Pattern match code (following a ?). |
U, u |
The letter “U” (85,117): Pattern match code (following a ?). |