# Element Assignment and Removal

> [HTML Version](elementassign-ordmap.htm)

_Updated July 2015_

Once declared, elements (i.e. key,value pairs) can be added to the ordered map with standard array assignment syntax, except that the array subscript (the key) is a string rather than a numeric value:

\$capitals("california") = "sacramento"   \! for ordmap(varstr;varstr)

\$products("SKU12345") = PROD’REC         \! for ordmap(varstr;varx)

If the specified key exists already, the operation will replace the value of the existing element. To delete an element, a special value .NULL (“dot null”) is assigned:

\$capitals("california") = .NULL

Note: Assigning an empty string (“”) to the value of a key does **not** delete the item\!

**See Also**

•	[ORDMAPM](ordered_multi-map.md) for details and example of adding and deleting keys with a multi-map.