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From: richard@SOPHIST.UCHICAGO.EDU (Richard L. Goerwitz III)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.icon
Subject: lifetime of variables
Message-ID: <9005031031.AA00229@sophist.uchicago.edu>
Date: 3 May 90 15:31:13 GMT
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Why is it that a procedure like

  procedure return_table()
    tbl := table()
    return tbl
  end

works.  I guess I never really thought about it before (I don't
mentally transfer Icon into equivalent constructions in other
languages).  If I had no familiarity with Icon, I'd probably way
"make tbl static or global, 'cause it'll disappear when return_
table() returns, and all you'll be left with is a pointer aiming
into the great void."