Returns the signature of the internal procedure or user-defined function whose name you supply. Specifically:

  • If you provide the name of an internal procedure, GET-SIGNATURE returns the type and mode of each parameter.
  • If you provide the name of a user-defined function, GET-SIGNATURE returns the return type, and the type and mode of each parameter.
  • If you provide the nil procedure name (""), GET-SIGNATURE returns the signature of the procedure whose handle you supply.
  • If you provide a name that does not match any of the internal procedures or user-defined functions in the procedure, GET-SIGNATURE returns the empty string ("").
  • If you provide a remote (proxy) procedure handle or the name of a Web service procedure, GET-SIGNATURE returns the empty string ("").
  • If you provide the name of a DLL entry point, GET-SIGNATURE returns the ABL equivalent of the C data type of each parameter of the entry point. For more information, see OpenEdge Programming Interfaces.
Note: GET-SIGNATURE does not return the signature of any internal procedure defined using the PROCEDURE statement's PRIVATE option. Similarly, GET-SIGNATURE does not return the signature of any user-defined function defined using the FUNCTION statement's PRIVATE option.

Return type: CHARACTER

Applies to: Procedure object handle

Syntax

GET-SIGNATURE ( int-proc-name )
int-proc-name
The name of an internal procedure or user-defined function.

GET-SIGNATURE returns a string with the following format:

type , return-type , [modenamep-type[ , modenamep-type]...]
type
The type of the internal procedure. Types include:
  • PROCEDURE — An ABL internal procedure
  • FUNCTION —  An ABL user-defined function whose definition resides in the procedure
  • EXTERN — An ABL user-defined function whose definition resides in another procedure
  • DLL-ENTRY — A DLL entry point
  • MAIN — The main procedure
return-type
(User-defined functions only) The ABL data type that a user-defined function returns.
mode name p-type
A parameter description where mode is the mode of the parameter, name is the name of the parameter, and p-type is the type of parameter. The parameter type is either a data type (scalar or array) or, for a buffer parameter, the name of the table associated with the buffer.

The modes are:

  • INPUT
  • OUTPUT
  • INPUT-OUTPUT
  • BUFFER
  • INPUT TABLE
  • OUTPUT TABLE
  • INPUT-OUTPUT TABLE

The data types are:

  • CHARACTER
  • DATE
  • DATETIME
  • DATETIME-TZ
  • DECIMAL
  • HANDLE
  • INT64
  • INTEGER
  • LOGICAL
  • MEMPTR
  • RAW
  • RECID
  • ROWID

When you define the parameter type as a determinate array with a constant extent value, the GET-SIGNATURE( ) method returns the constant extent value specified as part of the signature (for example, EXTENT 100). When you define the parameter type as a determinate array with a variable extent value, or as an indeterminate array, the GET-SIGNATURE( ) method returns only the extent keyword (that is, EXTENT, with no extent value).