Directives inserted as comments in your source code provide another handy way to control which strings VBLM does and does not extract from it. If the Respect VBLM On/Off Comment Directives misc sx option is checked, when VBLM reads your source code, it looks for commented lines like:
'VBLM OFF
and
'VBLM OFF!
and
'VBLM ON
and
Line of Code blah blah 'VBLM SKIP
and (new in V6)
Line of Code blah blah 'VBLM SKIP=1,2
and
Line of Code blah blah 'VBLM GET
and (new in V6)
Line of Code blah blah 'VBLM GET=3,4
The effects of these commented directives are as follows:
'VBLM ON/OFF
When VBLM encounters 'VBLM OFF on a line by itself (the match is not case-sensitive), it stops extracting strings until a) it finds 'VBLM ON on a line by itself, or b) it comes to the end of the current declarations section or procedure. Then VBLM resumes string extraction.
'VBLM OFF vs 'VBLM OFF!
The difference between 'VBLM OFF and 'VBLM OFF! is that the exclamation point suppresses the automatic resumption of string extraction when the procedure or declaration section ends. When extraction has been suspended by 'VBLM OFF!, it does not resume until (and unless) an explicit. 'VBLM ON statement is found in the file (extraction will always resume in the next file, however). This allows you to extract strings only from specific blocks of code within a file, such as the form definition.
'VBLM SKIP and VBLM SKIP=1,2...
When VBLM encounters a 'VBLM SKIP comment at the end of a line of code, it doesn't extract or replace strings in the line; it has the same effect as bracketing the line with 'VBLM OFF and 'VBLM ON comments.
When 'VBLM SKIP is followed by an equal sign and one or more comma delimited numbers, VBLM skips the indicated strings but not others. For example, if the line of code contained 4 strings, 'VBLM SKIP=2,4 would cause VBLM to extract the first and third strings but skip the second and fourth.
VBLM GET and VBLM GET=1,2...
The 'VBLM GET directive is for use inside a 'VBLM OFF block, ie when string extraction is currently suppressed. When VBLM encounters a 'VBLM GET comment at the end of a line of code, it overrides the suppression and extracts all strings in the line; it has the same effect as bracketing the line with 'VBLM ON and 'VBLM OFF comments. VBLM only looks for 'VBLM GET comments when inside an excluded block.
When 'VBLM GET is followed by an equal sign and one or more comma delimited numbers, VBLM extracts the indicated strings but not others. For example, if the line of code contained 4 strings, 'VBLM GET=1,3 would cause VBLM to extract the first and third strings but skip the second and fourth.
Notes
The main reason I made respect for these comment directives an option (rather than just having it always active) was to bring it to your attention, rather than burying it in the help file. But when the Respect VBLM On/Off Comment Directives misc sx option is not checked, none of these directives have any effect.
VBLM will automatically insert these comment directives into your source code when you designate strings in the LTE as "marked for exclusion in source file." See automatic insertion for more information.
See Also