K&B Exam Watch - break & continue

[Simon Cockayne]

Hi,

K&B page 231 says:

"continue statements must be inside a loop; oitherwise, you'll get a compiler error. break statements must be used inside either a loop or switch statemnts. (Note: This does not apply to labeled break statements".

What is the note driving at?

Where can one use a "labeled break" that is not inside a loop or switch?


Cheers,

Si.

[Pete Knecht]

I interpret this to sort of refer to the labeled-break syntax as a whole, where the actual *label* can be outside the loop, but the 'break:label;' part will still be inside some loop or other. I don't think 'break' can appear outside any loop (or switch).

[Simon Cockayne]

Hey Pete,

Thanks for the feedback.

I do get what you are saying...but I reckon the text in the book is misleading.

Even a labelled break has to appear in the loop/switch and it is only, as you say, the label that appears outside.

So...in either case, the break statement itself is inisde.

Cheers,

Si.

[Joyce Lee]

Hi Si,

break statements must be used inside either a loop or switch statemnts. (Note: This does not apply to labeled break statements".

What is the note driving at?

For break statement with label, it does not have to be inside a loop or switch statement. Here is an example:

  
boolean status = true;
Test: {
    System.out.println("Before break");
    if (status) {
        break Test;  // if [I]Test[/I] label is removed, compilation fails
    }                
            
    System.out.println("After break");
}
 
System.out.println("Outside Test");

Have a look at JLS 14.14 for details and example.

Joyce
[ April 10, 2005: Message edited by: Joyce Lee ]

[Simon Cockayne]

Joyce,

Thanks for the illumination.

Cheers,

Si.