LOOP

[CLOSE] LOOP [(r)]    

This document covers the following topics:

For explanations of the symbols used in the syntax diagram, see Syntax Symbols.

Belongs to Function Group: Reporting Mode Statements

Function

The LOOP statement is used to close a processing loop. It causes processing of the current pass through the loop to be terminated and control to be returned to the beginning of the processing loop.

When the processing loop for which the LOOP statement is issued is terminated (that is, when all records have been processed or iterations have been performed), execution continues with the statement after the LOOP statement.

The LOOP statement is used with the following statements: CALL FILE, CALL LOOP, FIND, FOR, HISTOGRAM, PARSE XML, READ, READ RESULT SET (SQL), READ WORK FILE, REPEAT, SELECT (SQL), SORT.

Database Variable References

A LOOP statement, in addition to closing a processing loop, will eliminate all field references to FIND, FIND FIRST, FIND UNIQUE, READ and GET statements contained within the loop.

A field within a view may be referenced outside the processing loop by using the view name as a qualifier.

Restriction

  • This statement is for reporting mode only.

  • A LOOP statement may not be specified based on a conditional statement such as IF or AT BREAK.

Syntax Description

Syntax Element Description
LOOP (r)
Statement Reference Notation:

The LOOP statement may be specified with a statement label or reference number (notation (r)), in which case all inner loops up to and including the loop initiated by the statement referenced will be closed. If no statement reference is specified, the innermost active processing loop will be closed.

Notes:

  1. In reporting mode, any processing loop which is currently active, that is, which has not explicitly been closed with a LOOP statement, will be closed automatically by an END statement.
  2. You can omit the LOOP statement. But with respect to good coding practice, you are not recommended to do so.

Examples

Example 1 

FIND ...
  READ ...
    READ ...
LOOP (0010)    /* closes all loops

Example 2 

FIND ...
  READ ...
    READ ...
    LOOP       /* closes loop initiated on line 0030  
  LOOP         /* closes loop initiated on line 0020
LOOP           /* closes loop initiated on line 0010