Why varname in stata syntax command is not parsed correctly?

[Islam Moh Khalil]

I am a bit frustrated by the following and not sure if I am missing something. varname (unlike varlist) cannot be parsed after syntax command

. qui webuse auto, clear

cap prog drop ExperimentVarname
prog ExperimentVarname
  1.   syntax varname, filename(string) varlabel(string)
  2.   dis "varname: `varname', filename: `filename', varlabel: `varlabel'"
  3. end

cap prog drop ExperimentVarlist
prog ExperimentVarlist
1.   syntax varlist, filename(string) varlabel(string)
2.   dis "varlist: `varlist', filename: `filename', varlabel: `varlabel'"
3. end

.
ExperimentVarname price, filename("myfile1") varlabel("label1")
varname: , filename: myfile1, varlabel: label1

ExperimentVarlist price, filename("myfile2") varlabel("label2")
varlist: price, filename: myfile2, varlabel: label2

.

[Nick Cox]

You need to ask to look at the contents of local macro varlist.

Although syntax varname is permitted, the variable name found still is mapped to local macro varlist.

This may seem inconsistent but the help does say that

After the syntax command, the resulting varlist is returned in `varlist'

[Islam Moh Khalil]

Thanks, Nick Cox. for the clarification. Probably, I overlooked that while reading the help.