Statements |
The primitives and composite building blocks presented before are sufficiently powerful to construct quite elaborate structures and facilities. We have presented lazy-functions and lazy-operators. How about lazy-statements? First, an appetizer:
Print all odd-numbered contents of an STL container using std::for_each (sample4.cpp):
for_each(c.begin(), c.end(),
if_(arg1 % 2 == 1)
[
cout << arg1 << ' '
]
);
Huh? Is that valid C++? Read on...
Yes, it is valid C++. The sample code above is as close as you can get to the syntax of C++. This stylized C++ syntax differs from actual C++ code. First, the if has a trailing underscore. Second, the block uses square brackets instead of the familiar curly braces {}.
Here are more examples with annotations. The code almost speaks for itself.
1) block statement:
statement,
statement,
....
statement
Basically, these are comma separated statements. Take note that unlike the C/C++ semicolon, the comma is a separator put *in-between* statements. This is like Pascal's semicolon separator, rather than C/C++'s semicolon terminator. For example:
statement,
statement,
statement, // ERROR!
Is an error. The last statement should not have a comma. Block statements can be grouped using the parentheses. Again, the last statement in a group should not have a trailing comma.
statement,
statement,
(
statement,
statement
),
statement
Outside the square brackets, block statements should be grouped. For example:
for_each(c.begin(), c.end(),
(
do_this(arg1),
do_that(arg1)
)
);
2) if_ statement:
We have seen the if_ statement. The syntax is:
if_(conditional_expression)
[
sequenced_statements
]
3) if_ else_ statement:
The syntax is
if_(conditional_expression)
[
sequenced_statements
]
.else_
[
sequenced_statements
]
Take note that else has a prefix dot and a trailing underscore: .else_
Example: This code prints out all the elements and appends " > 5", " == 5" or " < 5" depending on the element's actual value:
for_each(c.begin(), c.end(),
if_(arg1 > 5)
[
cout << arg1 << " > 5\n"
]
.else_
[
if_(arg1 == 5)
[
cout << arg1 << " == 5\n"
]
.else_
[
cout << arg1 << " < 5\n"
]
]
);
Notice how the if_ else_ statement is nested.
4) while_ statement:
The syntax is:
while_(conditional_expression)
[
sequenced_statements
]
Example: This code decrements each element until it reaches zero and prints out the number at each step. A newline terminates the printout of each value.
for_each(c.begin(), c.end(),
(
while_(arg1--)
[
cout << arg1 << ", "
],
cout << val("\n")
)
);
5) do_ while_ statement:
The syntax is:
do_
[
sequenced_statements
]
.while_(conditional_expression)
Again, take note that while has a prefix dot and a trailing underscore: .while_
Example: This code is almost the same as the previous example above with a slight twist in logic.
for_each(c.begin(), c.end(),
(
do_
[
cout << arg1 << ", "
]
.while_(arg1--),
cout << val("\n")
)
);
6) for_ statement:
The syntax is:
for_(init_statement, conditional_expression, step_statement)
[
sequenced_statements
]
It is again almost similar to C++ for statement. Take note that the init_statement, conditional_expression and step_statement are separated by the comma instead of the semi- colon and each must be present (i.e. for_(,,) is invalid).
Example: This code prints each element N times where N is the element's value. A newline terminates the printout of each value.
int iii;
for_each(c.begin(), c.end(),
(
for_(var(iii) = 0, var(iii) < arg1, ++var(iii))
[
cout << arg1 << ", "
],
cout << val("\n")
)
);
As before, all these are lazily evaluated. The result of such statements are in fact composites that are passed on to STL's for_each function. In the viewpoint of for_each, what was passed is just a functor, no more, no less.
Unlike lazy functions and lazy operators, lazy statements always return void. |
Copyright © 2001-2002 Joel de Guzman
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