diff --git a/doc/next.html b/doc/next.html
index 12bf89db4d..ebd68fb1fb 100644
--- a/doc/next.html
+++ b/doc/next.html
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ letters, it can be used as ${myTemp}.
 then all must be of the same variable style: <I>index</I>, <I>loop</I>,
 <I>universe</I>, or <I>uloop</I>.  An exception is that <I>universe</I>- and
 <I>uloop</I>-style variables can be mixed in the same <I>next</I> command.
-<I>Atom</I>- or <I>equal</I>- or <I>world</I>-style variables cannot be incremented
-by a next command.  All the variables specified are incremented by one
-value from their respective lists.
+</P>
+<P>All the variables specified with the next command are incremented by
+one value from their respective list or values.  <I>String-</I> or <I>atom</I>-
+or <I>equal</I>- or <I>world</I>-style variables cannot be used with the the
+next command, since they only store a single value.
 </P>
 <P>When any of the variables in the next command has no more values, a
 flag is set that causes the input script to skip the next
diff --git a/doc/next.txt b/doc/next.txt
index ef0a81164f..49156a414d 100644
--- a/doc/next.txt
+++ b/doc/next.txt
@@ -38,9 +38,11 @@ If multiple variables are used as arguments to the {next} command,
 then all must be of the same variable style: {index}, {loop},
 {universe}, or {uloop}.  An exception is that {universe}- and
 {uloop}-style variables can be mixed in the same {next} command.
-{Atom}- or {equal}- or {world}-style variables cannot be incremented
-by a next command.  All the variables specified are incremented by one
-value from their respective lists.
+
+All the variables specified with the next command are incremented by
+one value from their respective list or values.  {String-} or {atom}-
+or {equal}- or {world}-style variables cannot be used with the the
+next command, since they only store a single value.
 
 When any of the variables in the next command has no more values, a
 flag is set that causes the input script to skip the next
diff --git a/doc/variable.html b/doc/variable.html
index f253e530f1..d0e4c262b3 100644
--- a/doc/variable.html
+++ b/doc/variable.html
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 </PRE>
 <UL><LI>name = name of variable to define 
 
-<LI>style = <I>delete</I> or <I>index</I> or <I>loop</I> or <I>world</I> or <I>universe</I> or <I>uloop</I> or <I>equal</I> or <I>atom</I> 
+<LI>style = <I>delete</I> or <I>index</I> or <I>loop</I> or <I>world</I> or <I>universe</I> or <I>uloop</I> or <I>string</I> or <I>equal</I> or <I>atom</I> 
 
 <PRE>  <I>delete</I> = no args
   <I>index</I> args = one or more strings
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
   <I>world</I> args = one string for each partition of processors
   <I>universe</I> args = one or more strings
   <I>uloop</I> args = N = integer size of loop
+  <I>string</I> arg = one string
   <I>equal</I> or <I>atom</I> args = one formula containing numbers, thermo keywords, math operations, group functions, atom values and vectors, compute/fix/variable references
     numbers = 0.0, 100, -5.4, 2.8e-4, etc
     thermo keywords = vol, ke, press, etc from <A HREF = "thermo_style.html">thermo_style</A>
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ variable b1 equal "x[234] + 0.5*vol"
 variable b equal xcm(mol1,x)/2.0
 variable b equal c_myTemp
 variable b atom x*y/vol
+variable foo myfile
 variable temp world 300.0 310.0 320.0 ${Tfinal}
 variable x universe 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
 variable x uloop 15
@@ -112,10 +114,11 @@ will override a corresponding index variable setting in the input
 script.
 </P>
 <P>There are two exceptions to this rule.  First, variables of style
-<I>equal</I> and <I>atom</I> ARE redefined each time the command is encountered.
-This only changes their associated formula if the formula contains a
-substitution for another variable, e.g. $x.  But that can be useful,
-for example, in a loop.
+<I>string</I> and <I>equal</I> and <I>atom</I> ARE redefined each time the command is
+encountered.  This allows these style of variables to be redefined
+multiple times in an input script.  In a loop, this means the formula
+associated with an <I>equal</I> or <I>atom</I> style variable can change if it
+contains a substitution for another variable, e.g. $x.
 </P>
 <P>Second, as described below, if a variable is iterated on to the end of
 its list of strings via the <A HREF = "next.html">next</A> command, it is removed
diff --git a/doc/variable.txt b/doc/variable.txt
index 93032f5162..92bc74fdad 100644
--- a/doc/variable.txt
+++ b/doc/variable.txt
@@ -13,13 +13,14 @@ variable command :h3
 variable name style args ... :pre
 
 name = name of variable to define :ulb,l
-style = {delete} or {index} or {loop} or {world} or {universe} or {uloop} or {equal} or {atom} :l
+style = {delete} or {index} or {loop} or {world} or {universe} or {uloop} or {string} or {equal} or {atom} :l
   {delete} = no args
   {index} args = one or more strings
   {loop} args = N = integer size of loop
   {world} args = one string for each partition of processors
   {universe} args = one or more strings
   {uloop} args = N = integer size of loop
+  {string} arg = one string
   {equal} or {atom} args = one formula containing numbers, thermo keywords, math operations, group functions, atom values and vectors, compute/fix/variable references
     numbers = 0.0, 100, -5.4, 2.8e-4, etc
     thermo keywords = vol, ke, press, etc from "thermo_style"_thermo_style.html
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ variable b1 equal "x\[234\] + 0.5*vol"
 variable b equal xcm(mol1,x)/2.0
 variable b equal c_myTemp
 variable b atom x*y/vol
+variable foo myfile
 variable temp world 300.0 310.0 320.0 $\{Tfinal\}
 variable x universe 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
 variable x uloop 15
@@ -106,10 +108,11 @@ will override a corresponding index variable setting in the input
 script.
 
 There are two exceptions to this rule.  First, variables of style
-{equal} and {atom} ARE redefined each time the command is encountered.
-This only changes their associated formula if the formula contains a
-substitution for another variable, e.g. $x.  But that can be useful,
-for example, in a loop.
+{string} and {equal} and {atom} ARE redefined each time the command is
+encountered.  This allows these style of variables to be redefined
+multiple times in an input script.  In a loop, this means the formula
+associated with an {equal} or {atom} style variable can change if it
+contains a substitution for another variable, e.g. $x.
 
 Second, as described below, if a variable is iterated on to the end of
 its list of strings via the "next"_next.html command, it is removed