POSITION:028,114
COLOUR:STANDARD
TEXT:00,The first part of the variable declaration, the variable type, comes
TEXT:16,in only four accepted words: "sequence", "atom", "object", and
TEXT:16,"integer". "sequence" means the variable can only hold data objects
TEXT:16,that are sequences. You cannot place atom data objects in this type of
TEXT:16,variable. "atom" means the variable can only hold data objects that are
TEXT:16,atoms. Sequences are not allowed. A variable type of "object" means the
TEXT:16,variable can hold both atom and sequence data objects. One must wonder
TEXT:16,why we bother having variables of type atom and type sequence when a type
TEXT:16,object variable can hold both. Type object variables are needed to hold
TEXT:16,the result of program data processing where the data type is unknown.
TEXT:16,"integer" means the variable can hold atoms, but only integer atoms.
TEXT:16,An integer atom can have a value between -1073741824 and 1073741823. If
TEXT:16,you want to use even larger integer in your programs, you need to use
TEXT:16,the type atom variables to hold them.

