{{fbdoc item="title" value="STATIC"}}----
Defines variables, objects and arrays having static storage

{{fbdoc item="syntax"}}##
	**Static** //symbol1// [ (//array-dimensions//) ] [[KeyPgAs As]] [[DataType DataType]] [ = //expression//] [, //symbol2// [ (//array-dimensions//) ] [[KeyPgAs As]] [[DataType DataType]] [ = //expression//], ...]
		//or//
	**Static** [[KeyPgAs As]] [[DataType DataType]] //symbol1// [ (//array-dimensions//) ] [ = //expression//] [, //symbol2// [ (//array-dimensions//) ] [ = //expression//], ...]
	
		//or//
		
	[[KeyPgSub Sub]]|[[KeyPgFunction Function]] //procedurename// ( //parameters// ) [[[KeyPgAs As]] [[DataType DataType]]] **Static**
		...
	[[KeyPgEndblock End]] [[KeyPgSub Sub]]|[[KeyPgFunction Function]]
##
{{fbdoc item="param"}}
	##//symbol//##
		variable or array symbol name.
	##//array-dimensions//##
		##//lower-bound// [[KeyPgTo To]] //upper-bound// [, ...]##
		//or//
		##[[KeyPgAny Any]] [, [[KeyPgAny Any]]...]##
		//or empty.//
	##//expression//##
	    An constant expression, or an array of constant expressions

{{fbdoc item="desc"}}
	Specifies [[ProPgStorageClasses static storage]] for variables, objects and arrays; they are allocated at program startup and deallocated upon exit. Objects are constructed once when they are defined, and destructed upon program exit.

	When declaring static arrays, only [[ProPgLiterals numeric literals]], [[KeyPgConst constants]] or [[KeyPgEnum enumerations]] may be used as subscript range values. Static variable-length arrays must be declared empty (no subscript range list) and resized using ##[[KeyPgRedim Redim]]## before used.

	In both iterative and recursive blocks, like looping [[CatPgControlFlow control flow statements]] or procedures, static variables, objects and arrays local to the block are guaranteed to occupy the same storage across all instantiations of the block. For example, procedures that call themselves - either directly or indirectly - share the same instances of their local static variables.
	
	A static variable may only be initialised with a constant value: its starting value is set at the start of the program before any code is run, and so it cannot depend on any variables or functions in it.
	
	When used with module-level and member procedure declarations, ##**Static**## specifies [[ProPgStorageClasses static storage]] for all local variables, objects and arrays.
	
	At module-level variable declaration only, the modifier ##[[KeyPgShared Shared]]## may be used with the keyword ##**Static**## to make module-level static variables visible inside procedures.
	
	When used with in a user-defined type, ##**Static**## creates [[KeyPgStaticMember static member procedures or variables]].

{{fbdoc item="ex"}}
{{fbdoc item="filename" value="examples/manual/variable/static.bas"}}%%(freebasic)
sub f
	'' times called is initially 0
	static timesCalled as integer = 0
	timesCalled += 1
	Print "Number of times called: " & timesCalled
end sub

'' the static variable in f() retains its value between
'' multiple procedure calls.
f()
f()
%%
	Will output:

%%
Number of times called: 1
Number of times called: 2
%%

{{fbdoc item="lang"}}
	- Variables cannot be initialised in the //[[CompilerOptlang -lang qb]]// dialect.

{{fbdoc item="diff"}}
	- ""QuickBASIC"" allows variables and arrays to be declared using the ##**Static**## keyword within procedures and ##DEF FN## routines only.
	- ##**Static**## forces local visibility of variables and arrays in ""QuickBASIC"" ##DEF FN## routines. ""FreeBASIC"" supports neither ##DEF FN## routines nor this usage of ##**Static**##.

{{fbdoc item="see"}}
	- ##[[KeyPgStaticMember Static (Member)]]##
	- ##[[KeyPgDim Dim]]##, ##[[KeyPgRedim Redim]]##
	- ##[[KeyPgShared Shared]]##
	- ##[[KeyPgSub Sub (Module)]]##, ##[[KeyPgFunction Function (Module)]]##
	- ##[[KeyPgMemberSub Sub (Member)]]##, ##[[KeyPgMemberFunction Function (Member)]]##
	- ##[[KeyPgOptionstatic Option Static]]##
	- ##[[ProPgStorageClasses Storage Classes]]##

{{fbdoc item="back" value="CatPgProcedures|Procedures"}}{{fbdoc item="back" value="CatPgVariables|Variable Declarations"}}