Programs

A program is a block of code containing multiple commands. IDL provides several program types to help you accomplish your development goals. These types include compiled programs such as $MAIN$ programs and named programs (procedures and functions). IDL also allows you to design graphical user interfaces (GUIs) using the widget and iTools programming environments. The following sections explain and show examples of each type. The benefits of using a program include:

Reusable

Flow control—use loops, IF statements, and so on.

Conditional execution

Scope—defined by the current routine or main level, for the $MAIN$ program (see Scope).