EQUEL statements use Pascal variables to transfer data from a database or a form into the program and conversely. You must declare Pascal variables to EQUEL before using them in EQUEL statements. Pascal variables are declared to EQUEL by preceding the declaration with the ## mark. The declaration must be in a position syntactically correct for the Pascal language. Similarly, constants, types, and formal parameters used in EQUEL must be made known to EQUEL by preceding their declarations with the ## mark.

In general, each declared object can be referred to in the scope of the enclosing compilation unit. An object name cannot be redeclared in the same compilation unit scope. For details on the scope of types and variables, see Compilation Units and the Scope of Objects.