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| label | **VARIANT** | [,**DIM( )**] , [,**NAME( )**] [,**EXTERNAL**] [,**DLL**] |
|  |  | [,**STATIC**] [,**THREAD**] [,**AUTO**] [,**PRIVATE**] [,**PROTECTED**] |

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| **VARIANT** | An OLE API **VARIANT**. The [[any  any simple data type .htm|ANY]] data type is preferable if the program does not use OLE API functions. |

| **DIM** | Dimension the variable as an array. |
| **NAME** | Specify an alternate, "external" name for the field. |
| **EXTERNAL** | Specify the variable is defined, and its memory is allocated, in an external library. Not valid within FILE, QUEUE, or GROUP declarations. |
| **DLL** | Specify the variable is defined in a .DLL. This is required in addition to the EXTERNAL attribute. |
| **STATIC** | Specify the variable's memory is permanently allocated. |
| **THREAD** | Specify memory for the variable is allocated once for each execution thread. Also implicitly adds the STATIC attribute on Procedure Local data**.** |
| **AUTO** | Ignored by the compiler but does not produce an error |
| **PRIVATE** | Specify the variable is not visible outside the module containing the CLASS methods. Valid only in a CLASS. |
| **PROTECTED** | Specify the variable is not visible outside base CLASS and derived CLASS methods. Valid only in a CLASS. |

The OLE API **VARIANT i**is equivalent to the OLE API Variant type. A VARIANT can be assigned any data type, and can be a field within a QUEUE. The compiler ignores the AUTO attribute for variables of VARIANT type. The value of a VARIANT can reference another VARIANT if its type has the VT_BYREF flag. Such lists can be of any depth. The Clarion RTL handles only one level of references. The Clarion RTL sets the VT_BYREF flag to values of VARIANTs only on a reference assignment, for example:

V      VARIANT\\  X      <;some type>

CODE

V &amp;= X        !the RTL sets the VT_BYREF flag

The VARIANT type can be used in the left side of reference assignments. The SIZE function returns 16 regardless of the contents of the VARIANT.

**Example:**

| V1 VARIANT | !declare VARIANT |
| V2 VARIANT,DIM(2) | !declare VARIANT array |
| V3 VARIANT,STATIC | !Static memory allocation |
| V4 VARIANT,AUTO | !AUTO is ignored by the compiler |
| V5 VARIANT,THREAD | !set THREAD attribute |
| V6 VARIANT,NAME('DT') | !external name |

**see also:**

[[bstring.htm|BSTRING]]

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