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break or return?
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Join Date: Jan 2008
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hi guys, i wonder if there is technically any difference between using break or return in order to quit a loop without reaching its condition?
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You're talking about c++?
The answer is yes:
break will only break out of the 'most nested loop' . For example:
will print
As you can see, the break statement only breaks the inner loop when it reaches 4 ( <5 ). Then it start all over because the outer loop isn't done yet.
If you replace the previous code with:
the code will print:
And it's done. You've used return, which means that it should return from the current function. In this case the function is 'main' so it quits the program.
The answer is yes:
break will only break out of the 'most nested loop' . For example:
C++ Syntax (Toggle Plain Text)
inner=0
inner=1
inner=2
inner=3
inner=4
outer=0
inner=0
inner=1
//etc etc etcAs you can see, the break statement only breaks the inner loop when it reaches 4 ( <5 ). Then it start all over because the outer loop isn't done yet.
If you replace the previous code with:
C++ Syntax (Toggle Plain Text)
C++ Syntax (Toggle Plain Text)
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Posting Shark
break; Just jumps, after an evalution.return(x); Will probably store the value were ever it feels appropriate, then tells the OS to return back to the called procedure. "Jedenfalls bin ich überzeugt, daß der Alte nicht würfelt."
"I became very sensitive to what will happen to all this and all of us." -Two geniuses named Albert
"I became very sensitive to what will happen to all this and all of us." -Two geniuses named Albert
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> then tells the OS to return back to the called procedure.
The OS isn't involved in such things.
The OS isn't involved in such things.
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thanks niek, they will make the same effect if there is only one level of loop, not nested, as a conclusion..
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Originally Posted by serkan sendur 
thanks niek, they will make the same effect if there is only one level of loop, not nested, as a conclusion..
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Originally Posted by niek_e
No. Break will jump out of a loop, return will jump out of a function. So only if your function exists out of only a loop, will they have they same effect.
Due to lack of freedom of speech, i no longer post on this website.
However, having multiple exit points for a function makes it difficult to maintain. There is a greater chance that you'll forget to do the clean ups (which will be usually at the end of the function).
>However, having multiple exit points for a function makes it difficult to maintain.
Forcing a single exit point where it doesn't make sense also makes the function difficult to maintain due to added unnatural complexity.
>There is a greater chance that you'll forget to do the clean ups
>(which will be usually at the end of the function).
In well designed code this isn't a problem. Most (if not all) of your "clean ups" should be handled in destructors anyway.
Forcing a single exit point where it doesn't make sense also makes the function difficult to maintain due to added unnatural complexity.
>There is a greater chance that you'll forget to do the clean ups
>(which will be usually at the end of the function).
In well designed code this isn't a problem. Most (if not all) of your "clean ups" should be handled in destructors anyway.
I'm here to prove you wrong.
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Originally Posted by Narue
>However, having multiple exit points for a function makes it difficult to maintain.
Forcing a single exit point where it doesn't make sense also makes the function difficult to maintain due to added unnatural complexity.
>There is a greater chance that you'll forget to do the clean ups
>(which will be usually at the end of the function).
In well designed code this isn't a problem. Most (if not all) of your "clean ups" should be handled in destructors anyway.
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