Waverly wrote:

>I find nothing wrong with FB's implementation of the for loop.  If this were 
>"C" it would be a different story.  A for loop is based on the 
>implementation on a loop based on an initiating expression, an ending 
>expression and the conditional use of a STEP clause.  By definition the 
>initiating expression exists causing the loop to executed atleast once.
>
>EX:
>
>WINDOW 1
>
>FOR loop = 12 TO 11
>  PRINT "this is a test"
>  PRINT loop
>NEXT
>
>DO
>  HANDLEEVENTS
>UNTIL 0
>
>
>With this example, even though the step value is not negative one, loop 
>initially equalled 12 and is executed one time.  I dont know the ANSI 
>definition for a FOR loop but I would bet that is not only within standard 
>but is the correct implementation.  If we were looking at a FOR loop in C 
>then the loop would not execute unless the {condition} were true.

In ANSI C, the content code in a For loop will not execute if the condition 
is not true.

>
>I also see nothing wrong with LONG IF.  Every version of BASIC I've seen has 
>it own dialectical spin.  In all honesty, it took me a bit of getting used 
>to but that was just a bump in the learning curve.  If you want to test 
>multiple conditions your could always use the SELECT statement.  It's not as 
>pretty but just as effective.
>
>If you want an easier conversion of other languages such as C to FB(III) 
>then its reasonable and desirable.  It just sounds more like you have a 
>gripe than a suggestion.
>
>

Unfortunately, while the above regarding syntactical variance between various 
Basic implementations is correct, adherence to (uggghhh) Microsoft 
implementations would probably not be a bad thing, specifically regarding the 
block style LONG IF...XELSE...END IF statement. Of particular usefulness would 
be the addition of the ELSE IF <condition> to the FB syntax, thus preventing the
need for:

LONG IF (thisCondition)
.
XELSE
    LONG IF (thatCondition)
    .
    XELSE
    .
    END IF
END IF

instead being represented by

IF (thisCondition)
.
ELSE IF (thatCondition)
.
ELSE
.
END IF

Chris

(please excuse my email system if you get stray characters, etc.--corporate 
ccMail on a Windoze NT system)