# File format.rb, line 489
    def setVarValue (var_name, var_value, aBinding)
      if var_value.nil? 
        var_value = ''
      end
      var_value.gsub!(/^\s+/,'')
      if (aBinding.class != binding.class) 
        aBinding[var_name] = var_value
      else
        escaped_var_value = 
          var_value.gsub(/(\\*)'/) { |m| $1.length % 2 == 0 ? $1 + "\\'" : m }
        to_eval = "#{var_name} = '#{escaped_var_value}'";
        #puts "going to eval '#{to_eval}'"
        eval(to_eval, aBinding)
      end
    end