LECTURE NOTES
OCTOBER 8 2004

ASSIGNMENTS
Today 11:58 PM CodeLab #5
Mon 10/18 Assignment 2

USES OF IF STATEMENTS

What?
- comparing a variable for being true or false
How?
- use identifier directly as the condition
- choose identifier carefully so meaning clear

NESTED-IF STATEMENTS

Why?
- need for a condition depends on a condition
- testing conditions in a particular order
What?
- nested-if statement

What?
- writing the same thing in multiple ways
How?
- choose the simplest and clearest

What?
- indentation
Why?
- not required by compiler
- clearer for readers
- important for good programming style
How?
- one tab for each level of nesting

Why?
- long series of else-ifs can get really indented
What?
- else-if indentation
How?
  if ...
      ...
  else if ...
      ...
  ...
  else if ...
      ...
  else
      ...

What?
- *dangling else problem*

SWITCH STATEMENT

Why?
- selection control flow
How?
    switch ( <arithmetic expression> ) {
      
      <case label 1> : <case body 1>
      ...
      <case label n> : <case body n>
    }

What?
- arithmetic expression
How?
      - data type must be char, byte, short, int
      - value is compared against each constant value of the case labels
      - executes body if a match exists
      - if no matching case, continues after switch statement

What?
- case labels
How?
      case <constant>
      - constant: either named or literal
      - no two cases can have the same constant value
      - cases can be listed in any order
      default
      - reserved word
      - always executed if there is no matching case
      - at most one
      - safer to always include
      - recommend always place last

What?
- case body
How?
    - sequence of zero or more statements
    - no left and right braces
    - individual cases don't have to include a statement