Specifies if quotation marks are required for character strings.

Syntax

SET QUOTING ON|OFF

Comments

The QUOTING option is set OFF by default.

Setting QUOTING ON causes the software to issue a warning message each time it encounters a non-numeric character string not enclosed in quotation marks (i.e., unquoted character strings that are valid numbers do not elicit warnings).

The SET QUOTING ON command can be used to reinforce the distinction between character strings and object names (reserved words and the names of objects in your application). While you are reminded to enclose character strings in quotation marks, you are not forced to comply. The software continues to accept unquoted character strings, because the messages being issued are warnings, not errors. Warning messages can be turned off with SET WARNINGS OFF or a SET MESSAGES OFF command.

The SET QUOTING command is not affected by the SET RESET and SET RESTORE commands.

Example

set quoting on
let Name = Smith

When the LET command is encountered, a warning message is issued because Smith is not enclosed in quotation marks.

set quoting on
find employees
let Name = “Smith”
let Name = FirstName
let Salary = 20000

No warnings are issued: Smith is enclosed in quotation marks; FirstName is a field name; and 20000 is a valid number.

See Also

COMPILE

PAUSE

Quotation Marks