>>-SYMBOL(name)------------------------------------------------><

returns the state of the symbol named by name. Returns BAD if name is not a valid REXX symbol. Returns VAR if it is the name of a variable (that is, a symbol that has been assigned a value). Otherwise returns LIT, indicating that it is either a constant symbol or a symbol that has not yet been assigned a value (that is, a literal).

As with symbols in REXX expressions, lowercase characters in name are translated to uppercase and substitution in a compound name occurs if possible.

You should specify name as a literal string (or it should be derived from an expression) to prevent substitution before it is passed to the function.

/* following: Drop A.3;  J=3 */
SYMBOL('J')      ->   'VAR'
SYMBOL(J)        ->   'LIT' /* has tested "3"     */
SYMBOL('a.j')    ->   'LIT' /* has tested A.3     */
SYMBOL(2)        ->   'LIT' /* a constant symbol  */
SYMBOL('*')      ->   'BAD' /* not a valid symbol */