RE: First Free Format

[Jim Langston <jlangston@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The main reason for the select/switch statements, IMO, is for code readability. 
 You are indeed right that select/switch statements are nothing more than 
re-worded if...else...else...EndIf statements.

The confusion comes in with nested if...else statements that are nested, which 
else are you talking about?  In some languages it's easy to figure out, in some 
languages it's next to impossible.

if A = 'On'
   If B = 2
      ... do something
   else
      If B = 3
         ... do something else
      else
         ... do something else
      EndIf
   EndIf
else
   If A = 'Unswitched'
      If B = 2
         ... do something
      Else

I don't remember which language it was, but the compiler itself would get 
confused as to which else when to which else statement, so that it might apply 
the Else from B = 3 to the If from If A = 1.  I had to use a lot of kludges in 
that language.  The way I fixed it was to use either Select or Switch 
statements.

Select
When A = 'On'
   If B = 2
      ... Do Something
   Else
      If B = 3
         ... etc..

The exact some program, but changing from If... else to Select...When made it 
easier of the compiler, me, and anyone who followed me to understand.

Regards,

Jim Langston

-----Original Message-----
From: Richard B Baird [mailto:rbaird@esourceconsulting.com]


be careful what you say Jim...

... they would be confused, kinda like i am now, on why we needed an 'if
elseif' construct, as opposed to the 'select when' construct?

:)

rick