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(texinfo)set value

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`@set' and `@value'
-------------------

  You use the `@set' command to specify a value for a flag, which is
later expanded by the `@value' command.

  A "flag" is an identifier.  In general, it is best to use only
letters and numerals in a flag name, not `-' or `_'--they will work in
some contexts, but not all, due to limitations in TeX.

  The value is the remainder of the input line, and can contain
anything.

  Write the `@set' command like this:

     @set foo This is a string.

This sets the value of the flag `foo' to "This is a string.".

  The Texinfo formatters then replace an `@value{FLAG}' command with
the string to which FLAG is set.  Thus, when `foo' is set as shown
above, the Texinfo formatters convert this:

     @value{foo}
to this:
     This is a string.

  You can write an `@value' command within a paragraph; but you must
write an `@set' command on a line of its own.

  If you write the `@set' command like this:

     @set foo

without specifying a string, the value of `foo' is the empty string.

  If you clear a previously set flag with `@clear FLAG', a subsequent
`@value{flag}' command will report an error.

  For example, if you set `foo' as follows:

     @set how-much very, very, very

then the formatters transform

     It is a @value{how-much} wet day.
into
     It is a very, very, very wet day.

  If you write

     @clear how-much

then the formatters transform

     It is a @value{how-much} wet day.
into
     It is a {No value for "how-much"} wet day.