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Navigation: Language Reference > 2 - Program Source Code Format > Statement Format >====== Special Characters ======

Initiators:

	!	Exclamation point begins a source code comment.
	?	Question mark begins a field equate label, label, or when used as a single character in column one of source code, designates that the statement that follows only be executed in DEBUG mode.
	@	“At” sign begins a picture token.
	@@	Used in Clarion# only. You cannot use reserved keywords as labels or identifiers unless they include the @@ as a prefix (i.e., @@IF). You also should use @@ as prefix if you'd like to use Construct or Destruct as a label for a declaration that is not a class constructor or destructor.
	*	Asterisk begins a parameter passed by address in a MAP prototype.
	~	A leading tilde on a filename indicates a file linked into the project.
	!~<;block of comments>~!	Multi-line comments support (Clarion# only)
	!!!	Initiates XML Documentation (Clarion# only)

Terminators:

;

Semi-colon is an executable statement separator.

CR/LF	Carriage-return/Line-feed is an executable statement separator.
.	Period terminates a data or code structure (a substitute for END).
		Vertical bar is the source code line continuation character.
#	Pound sign declares an implicit LONG variable.
$	Dollar sign declares an implicit REAL variable.
“	Double quote declares an implicit STRING variable.

Delimiters:

( )	Parentheses enclose a parameter list.
[ ]	Brackets enclose an array subscript list.
' '	Single quotes enclose a string constant.
{ }	Curly braces enclose a repeat count in a string constant, or a property parameter.
<; >	Angle brackets enclose an ASCII code in a string constant, or indicate a parameter in a MAP prototype which may be omitted.
:	Colon separates the start and stop positions of a string “slice.”
,	Comma separates parameters in a parameter list.

Connectors:

.	Period is a decimal point used in numeric constants, or connects a complex structure label to the label of one of its members.
:	Colon connects a prefix to a label.
$	Dollar sign connects the WINDOW or REPORT label to a field
	equate label in a control's property assignment expression.

Operators:

+	Plus sign indicates addition.
-	Minus sign indicates subtraction.
*	Asterisk indicates multiplication.
/	Slash indicates division.
%	Percent sign indicates modulus division.
		Carat indicates exponentiation.
<;	Left angle bracket indicates less than.
>	Right angle bracket indicates greater than.
=	Equal sign indicates assignment or equivalence.
~	Tilde indicates the logical (Boolean) NOT operator.
&	Ampersand indicates concatenation.
&=	Ampersand equal indicates reference assignment or reference equivalence.
:=:	Executes a Deep Assignment statement.