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From: stevem@hal.CSS.GOV (Steve Masters)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.programmer
Subject: Re: AREXX Question. How To Goto.
Message-ID: <506@hal.CSS.GOV>
Date: 20 Jan 91 21:09:38 GMT
References: <16433@venera.isi.edu> <1991Jan20.200834.25560@bronze.ucs.indiana.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: ENSCO Inc., Melbourne FL
Lines: 40

graham@venus.iucf.indiana.edu (JIM GRAHAM) writes:

>In article <16433@venera.isi.edu>, schur@isi.edu (Sean Schur) writes...

>>I would like to know what works as a "goto" statement in AREXX.
>>I noticed that you can "label" any point in the program with the
>>command - 
>> 
>>label:
>> 
>>But once you've labeled that point, how do you tell the program to
>>go to that point? Is this the way to do a "goto" or am I way off base?
>>If I am, I would appreciate it if someone could steer me in the
>>right direction.

>use the call statement.

The 'call' statement is for subroutine (FORTRAN analogy) calls...enter and return
to the statement after the call.  The AREXX statement for 'goto' is 'signal'.

/* */
say '1'
signal thelabel
say '2'

thelabel:
say '3'
exit

The program above will print 1 then 3 (skipping the "say '2'" statement.  The
manual discourages the use of 'signal' as a 'goto' because it is not 'structured
programming.' (sigh :) ...before we start a style war...I agree it should rarely
be needed, but I have seen some real programs (tm) that could have been
greatly simplified in design and readability with a simple goto, signal, etc.)


Steve Masters   stevem@hal.CSS.GOV
ENSCO, Inc.
Melbourne, FL  32940
(407) 254 4122