A function may be defined as a program unit containing one or more statements and which returns a value. Once a function has been defined, references to the function cause the program unit to be executed. All functions return a function value which is given as a parameter in the RETURN statement used to exit the function.

Briefly the format of a function definition is, where name can contain up to 31 characters:

FUNCTION name, parameter1,..., parametern 

Statement1 

Statement2 

...

...

RETURN, expression 

END

For example, to define a function called AVERAGE that returns the average value of an array:

FUNCTION AVERAGE, ARR 

RETURN, TOTAL(ARR)/N_ELEMENTS(ARR)

END

Once the function AVERAGE has been defined, it is executed by entering the function name followed by its arguments enclosed in parentheses. Assuming the variable X contains an array, the statement:

PRINT, AVERAGE(X^2)

squares the array X, passes this result to the AVERAGE function, and prints the result.

Functions can take positional and keyword parameters. For more information on parameters and parameter passing, see "Positional Parameters and Keyword Parameters" and "More On Parameters".

For more information on writing functions, see Writing Procedures and Functions.

PV-WAVE will automatically compile and execute a user-written function or procedure when it is first referenced if both of the following conditions are met: