Do While loop syntax

codeunlock · #1 04-29-2007, 12:39 AM

Quick question, what is the point for forcing the semicolon at the end of
the while statement? See example below:

Code:

x = 0;
do
{
  x = x + 1;
}while (x < 3);

What's the point of having the semicolon after the (x < 3)? Why can't the
compiler figure out that's the end of the while statement without the need
for the semicolon?

Thank you.

shabbir · #2 04-29-2007, 08:31 AM

Thats a very interesting question and thought of answering the question as thats how its been designed but then thought about it and I came to this.

All the lines in the code gets converted to assembly or some other intermediate langauge. Now when a while loop start line is something like

Code:

while (x < 3)

but if we have the same thing in the do while loop i.e. without a semicolon there can be potential problems in while statements inside the do while loop. Compiler may become dependent on the braces { } to know if its start / End which is not also guarantee in statement having only one statements and so we dont have braces.