Make GDL TEXT I/O ADD-ON read values as strings

[Karl Wir_n]

Hello,
I have a tab-separated text file with numbers and expressions that I'm using in a GDL-object I made. It works good but now I want to modify it to read the values as strings. For example 3-4 should be returned as a string "3-4" and not as -1. For some reason I can't find a solution. Anyone out there with a suggestion?
/Karl W

[Barry Kelly]

Does it help if you declare the variable as a text variable firs before you read the value into?
For example if your text variable is 'string_name' then declare it as a string variable before reading the value in.

string_name = ""

Barry.

[Karl Wir_n]

No, unfortunately not. I thought of that too.
Thank's anyway, Barry.

[Anonymous]

Hello,

You can test if the program thinks that the
input string is a number or string with the VARTYPE
parameter. If the VARTYPE = 1 then it is a
number and you should convert it to a string first.

Hope this helps.

[Karl Wir_n]

Found a solution! In my case I wanted to read values from an external text file as strings, even numerical expressions like 3-4. 3-4 should return as "3-4" and not as -1. By using a dash instead of a minus, writing 3–4 instead of 3-4, the problem was solved.
//Karl W