LOOP
Use the LOOP statement to define a loop with an indeterminate number of iterations.
Syntax
Range
Notes:
- 1 See Condition
- 2 See Statement Block
- 3 Valid only if <<label>> precedes the first keyword
| Element | Description | Restrictions | Syntax |
|---|---|---|---|
| expression | Value to compare with loop_var | Must match loop_var data type | Expression |
| increment_expr | Positive or negative value by which loop_var is incremented | Must return an integer. Cannot return 0. |
Expression |
| label | Name of the loop label for this loop | Must be unique among labels in this SPL routine | Identifier |
| left_expression | Starting expression of a range | Value must match SMALLINT or INT data type of loop_var | Expression |
| loop_var | Variable that determines how many times the loop executes | Must be defined and in scope within this statement block | Identifier |
| right_expression | Ending expression in the range | Same as for left_expression | Expression |
Usage
The LOOP statement is an iterative statement that resembles the FOR and WHILE statements. Like FOR and WHILE, the LOOP statement can have an optional loop label, It can include the CONTINUE statement to specify another iteration, and the EXIT statement to terminate execution of the loop.
Besides
resembling FOR and WHILE in its functionality, the LOOP statement
can use the syntax of FOR or WHILE that precedes the statement block.
Sections that follow describe several forms of the LOOP statement,
including these:
- Simple LOOP statements that iterate a statement loop indefinitely
- FOR LOOP statements, that use FOR statement syntax specify a finite number of iterations
- WHILE LOOP statements, that iterate while a specified condition is true
- Labeled versions of each of these LOOP statements, which can terminate deeply nested loops.