I've noticed that REBOL doesn't have a built in if...elsif...else
syntax, like this one:
theVar: 60
{This won't work}
if theVar > 60 [
print "Greater than 60!"
]
elsif theVar == 3 [
print "It's 3!"
]
elsif theVar < 3 [
print "It's less than 3!"
]
else [
print "It's something else!"
]
I have found a workaround, but it's extremely verbose:
theVar: 60
either theVar > 60 [
print "Greater than 60!"
][
either theVar == 3 [
print "It's 3!"
][
either theVar < 3 [
print "It's less than 3!"
][
print "It's something else!"
]
]
]
Is there a more concise way to implement an if...else if...else
chain in REBOL?
The construct you would be looking for would be CASE. It takes a series of conditions and code blocks to evaluate, evaluating the blocks only if the condition is true and stopping after the first true condition is met.
theVar: 60
case [
theVar > 60 [
print "Greater than 60!"
]
theVar == 3 [
print "It's 3!"
]
theVar < 3 [
print "It's less than 3!"
]
true [
print "It's something else!"
]
]
As you see, getting a default is as simple as tacking on a TRUE condition.
Also: if you wish, you can have all of the cases run and not short circuit with CASE/ALL. That prevents case from stopping at the first true condition; it will run them all in sequence, evaluating any blocks for any true conditions.
And a further option is to use all
all [
expression1
expression2
expression3
]
and as long as each expression returns a true value, they will continue to be evaluated.
so,
if all [ .. ][
... do this if all of the above evaluate to true.
... even if not all true, we got some work done :)
]
and we also have any
if any [
expression1
expression2
expression3
][ this evaluates if any of the expressions is true ]
You can use the case construct for this, or the switch construct.
case [
condition1 [ .. ]
condition2 [ ... ]
true [ catches everything , and is optional ]
]
The case construct is used if you're testing for different conditions. If you're looking at a particular value, you can use switch
switch val [
va1 [ .. ]
val2 [ .. ]
val3 val4 [ either or matching ]
]