Has anybody heard ever met a class-library that might offer
the functionality of the Mumps language
I wish to explain what is this functionality

Each variable can be considered a string, even if it contains a number. All
string-operators apply

Each variable which represents a number (numeric string)
can be considered a number and all numeric operators apply

No definitions, no declarations are ever required.
Variables begin to exist when they are assigned a value (incl a null string)
Variables may be KILLED

The length of the string may reach 4 Kbytes

Variables can have an hierarchy of arrays, or not to have subscripts at all

The total length of all subscipts may reach 512 bytes

The subscripts may be strings or numbers

The strings occupy only the neccessary memory space

Examples:
A is the name of an array:
a=1
a(1)=1
a(1,2,3)="ASA"
a(1,2,"A")="BNJ"

a("John","AGE")=40
a("John","TELEPHONE")=4093498
a("John","child",1)="Nelly"
a("John","child",2)="David"

functions: (a partial list of course)

assignment
test for existence or for having "offspring"
 example:
 set a(1,2,3)=1   creates the variable a(1,2,3) and assigns it a value
 subsequently, function $DEFINED(a(1,2,3)) will return "01" (exists)
 function $DEFINED(a(1)) will return "10" (doesn't exist
        but has offspring)
kill KILL a(1,2,3) will delete a(1,2,3) and free it's space
 KILL a(1) will delete all a(1,...)
      a(1,3),a(1,4,66,"ZZZ")
      if they exist, and free their space

next find the next-in hierarchy variable.
 given there are a(1),a(2),a(5) defined:
 next(a(2)) equals to 5
 next(a(5)) equals to a null string
 next(a(5)) equals to a null string
 next(a("")) equals to 1

previous is the reversed NEXT


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MGur
Hadassah medical center jerusalem israel
GUR@HADASSAH.BITNET