Local variables by reference?

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Thu, 11/07/2013 - 11:23 am

Can one access the values stored in local variables without explicitly writing out the name of the variable? I'm after some function func that acts as follows:
variable var = 5
print func("var")
...would print 5.

I'd like to store the local variables/strings generated by some Igor functions (e.g. wavestats) in a wave, but want the saved outputs to be determined by instructions in a string rather than hardcoded into the function (e.g. the user might pass "V_avg;V_sdev;V_maxloc;" with the intent of generating an output wave holding these values). However, wavestats' output are local rather than global variables, so the $-based reference won't work. Is there a reference system for local variables, or a function like the above that can do this? Many thanks!!
Keep in mind that local variables are accessible *only* from within the function in which they were created and that they cease to exist when the function returns. That's what makes them local.

Quote:
(e.g. the user might pass "V_avg;V_sdev;V_maxloc;" with the intent of generating an output wave holding these values)


You would have to do something like this:
Function Test(w, list)
    Wave w
    String list     // e.g., "V_avg;V_sdev;"
   
    WaveStats/Q w

    Make/O/N=3 output = NaN
    if (WhichListItem("V_avg",list) >= 0)
        output[0] = V_avg
    endif
    if (WhichListItem("V_sdev",list) >= 0)
        output[1] = V_sdev
    endif
    if (WhichListItem("V_maxloc",list) >= 0)
        output[2] = V_maxloc
    endif
End

November 7, 2013 at 11:37 am - Permalink