The 'dot' operators:
- start with a period character
- are always joined to an attribute or string literal
- apply to a specified range of data types
There are a range of such operators (see listing), for instance properties that attach to just Color-type (Color.red) or Date-type (Date.day) attributes, though the majority relate to test-type data (String/.List/Set). In some cases, the operator applies to more than one attribute data type, for example String, List and Set.
In aTbRef listings, dot operators will be referred to with the data type before the dot, e.g Color.blue, so that inline dots in text do not get misread as punctuation. In practice, Color.blue would be used with any Color-type attribute:
$MyColor.red = "#ff"
A Date.minute would attach to a date attribute:
$MyNumber = $MyDate.minute
With text-based dot operators a wider range of use is possible:
$MyNumber = $MyString.size()
$MyNumber = "Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.".size()
$MyNumber = $MyList.size()
$MyNumber = $MySet.size()
$MyNumber = "Euryalus;Galatea;Hermione".size()
Multiple dot operators can be 'chained' to connect a series of tasks.