Strings, units and programs

concat(s, t, …)

The strings joined.

concat("beam ", "B1") = "beam B1"

strlen(s)

The number of characters in s.

strlen("beam") = 4

substr(s, m, n)

n characters of s from position m (counting from 0).

substr("beam B1", 5, 2) = "B1"

search(s, t, m)

The position of t in s, looking from position m, or −1 if it isn’t there.

search("beam B1", "B", 0) = 5

num2str(x)

The number x as a string.

num2str(2.5) = "2.5"

str2num(s)

The number written in the string s.

str2num("2.5e3") = 2500

IsString(x)

1 if x is a string, 0 if not.

IsString("a") = 1

error(s)

Stops with the message s: in a program, for a value that can’t be used.

if(c, a, b)

a if c is true (not zero), otherwise b; only the one chosen is evaluated.

if(2 > 1, "yes", "no") = "yes"

SIUnitsOf(x)

One of x’s unit in SI, so that x/SIUnitsOf(x) is the plain number.

SIUnitsOf(3 kN) = 1 N

UnitsOf(x)

The same as SIUnitsOf.

F := 3 kN
F/UnitsOf(F) = 3000

time(z)

The time now in seconds (z is not used), for timing a long calculation.

trace(x, …)

Returns x, for compatibility with imported sheets.

trace(2) = 2

pause(x, …)

Returns x, for compatibility with imported sheets.

pause(2) = 2

use "file.py"

The functions of a Python file, as a module: bt := use "beam.py", then bt.f(x); in the desktop app.