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ZBasic Language Reference
11
ZBasic Microcontrollers
Option Language
Option Language { BasicX | ZBasic }
Default: ZBasic
By default the compiler processes modules using the rules and defaults for the ZBasic language.  This
option directive can be used to instruct the compiler to process the module using the syntax rules defined
by a specific language variant.  If Option Language BasicX is specified, the compiler will process the
module in BasicX compatibility mode.  This may be useful in certain peculiar situations if you have
existing modules written for BasicX.  In most cases, existing BasicX code will compile correctly in ZBasic
mode with few, if any, changes.
If you need to utilize BasicX compatibility mode you should be aware that none of the enhanced language
features nor any of the enhanced System Library routines of ZBasic will be available in that module. 
Also, using Option Language BasicX changes the defaults for some of the other options as listed in
the table below.  You may still change the prevailing setting of these other options by utilizing the related
option directive either before or after this option directive.
Option Directive
Default for BasicX
Default for ZBasic
Strict
On
Off
AllocStr
Off
On
This option has local scope, i.e., it only affects compilation of the module in which the option appears.
Option AllocStr
Option AllocStr [On | Off | Default]
Default: On
By default, native compilation mode uses an allocation strategy for strings called dynamic string
allocation.  In contrast, BasicX uses an allocation strategy called static allocation.  This option directive
allows you to select the dynamic allocation strategy (Option AllocStr On) or the BasicX-compatible
static allocation strategy (Option AllocStr Off).  Specifying Option AllocStr Default sets the
option to the default for the currently selected language.  If neither On, Off nor Default is specified, the
value On is assumed.  See Section 3.28.2 for more information on the two allocation strategies.
This option has local scope, i.e., it only affects string variables defined in the same module in which the
option appears.
Examples
Option AllocStr
Option AllocStr Off
Option StringSize
Option StringSize {<value> | Default}
Default: 20
When string variables are defined, space to hold the characters of the string is allocated either statically
or dynamically (see Option AllocStr, above).  When the space is statically allocated a fixed number of
bytes of space is set aside for the string at compile-time thus setting the maximum size of that string. 
This option specifies the number of characters that should be reserved for statically allocated string
storage.  See the description of the Option AllocStr directive for more information about dynamically
allocated string storage.  If Option StringSize Default is specified the default value for the string
size is used.  This is useful if the string size was set using a command line option and you want to restore
it to the default for this particular module.  The maximum allowable string size is 255.
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