Creating a Scalar Data Type at Run-Time

QUESTION: I know I can use Make_Array to create an array of a particular data type at run-time, but I need a scalar value. Is there an equivalent method to do that? I have to read the scalar data value and the type of the data out of a file, and I don't know ahead of time which data type it will be.

ANSWER: It is extremely difficult to find this in the IDL documentation, but this can be accomplished with the Fix command, using the TYPE keyword. A scalar of any data type can be created. The type codes you use with the keyword are those specified and described for the IDL Size command.