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**REF **//datatype//

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The** REF** keyword is added to Clarion# to provide compatibility with other .NET languages. It's used to mark a parameter as "passed by reference". The REF keyword can be used before the type name in the parameter declaration.

**Example 1:**

**MyMethod PROCEDURE(****REF**** LONG I=10)**

**Example 2:**

**!*******************

**  PROGRAM**

**  NAMESPACE(ref_test)**

**  USING System**

**  MAP**

**TestOut PROCEDURE(****REF**** CHAR i),INT32**

**  END**

**i CHAR**

**  CODE**

**   Console.WriteLine(TestOut( i))**

**   Console.WriteLine(i)**

**   System.Console.ReadKey()**

**TestOut  PROCEDURE(CHAR i)**

**  CODE**

**   i='x'**

**   RETURN -1**

**!  Output:**

**!  -1**

**!   x**