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2.6 String Literals

(1)

A string_literal is formed by a sequence of graphic characters (possibly none) enclosed between two quotation marks used as string brackets. They are used to represent operator_symbols (see 6.1), values of a string type (see 4.2), and array subaggregates (see 4.3.3).

Syntax

(2)
       string_literal ::= "{string_element}"
(3)
       string_element ::= "" | non_quotation_mark_graphic_character

(4)

• A string_element is either a pair of quotation marks (""), or a single graphic_character other than a quotation mark.

Static Semantics

(5)

The sequence of characters of a string_literal is formed from the sequence of string_elements between the bracketing quotation marks, in the given order, with a string_element that is "" becoming a single quotation mark in the sequence of characters, and any other string_element being reproduced in the sequence.

(6)

A null string literal is a string_literal with no string_elements between the quotation marks.

NOTES

(7)

(5) An end of line cannot appear in a string_literal.

Examples

(8)

Examples of string literals:

(9)
       "Message of the day:"

       ""                           --  a null string literal
       " "   "A"   """"             --  three string literals of length 1

       "Characters such as $, %, and } are allowed in string literals"

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