LOOP FOR

Syntax

Command
Mandatory parameter
Optional parameter
Mandatory keyword
Optional keyword

LOOP FOR <Var> := <Startvalue> TO | DOWNTO <Endvalue> [STEP <Step value>]

<Code lines>

ENDLOOP

Description

Repeats execution of the enclosed code until the variable in the FOR-condition is greater than the endvalue (or: less than the endvalue in case of a DOWNTO loop).

Diagram

Returned value type

None

Parameters

Parameter	Description
<Var>	The name of the count variable to be used for holding the current count value.
<Startvalue>	Initial value for the count variable when the loop is executed for the first time.
<Endvalue>	Value in the condition that determines whether to continue or stop the execution of the loop. The execution will stop when the count value is greater than the endvalue in case of a TO loop and when the count value is less than the endvalue in case of a DOWNTO loop.
<Step value>	Value that is added to the current count value at the end of the execution of each loop. Note: In case of a DOWNTO the STEP value must be negative.
<Code lines>	Code that is performed each time the loop is executed. The loop will be terminated immediately in one of the following cases: When a BREAK command in the main loop level is encountered. When a GOTO is encountered that refers to a label outside the loop. When an EXIT command is encountered. This command jumps out of the current routine and therefore it exits the LOOP also.
TO	The count variable will be incremented at the end of each loop. If the value is greater than the endvalue the execution of the loop will be terminated.
DOWNTO	The count variable will be decremented at the end of each loop. If the value is lesser than the endvalue the execution of the loop will be terminated.
STEP	The count variable will be incremented by the value set in <Step value>. The default value is 1 when the TO keyword is used and -1 when the DOWNTO keyword is used. Make sure that when using the DOWNTO keyword and defining a non default step value, the value is negative.

Remarks

The evaluation of the condition is performed at the start of each loop and the increment/decrement of the count variable is at the end of each loop. So a 'LOOP FOR i := 10 TO 10' will execute once and a 'LOOP FOR i := 10 TO 9' will execute never.

As in Visual Basic, when using DOWNTO and STEP, STEP should be a negative number.

Examples

loop for i := 1 to 5

    sme ('I is: ' + format (i, onezero))

endloop

loop for i := 0 to 5 step 2

    sme ('I is: ' + format (i, onezero))

endloop

loop for i := 5 downto 1

    sme ('I is: ' + format (i, onezero))

endloop