what is wrong with the goto command?

[WindAndWaves]

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with the goto command. I noticed it is one
of those NEVER USE.

I can understand that it may lead to confusing code, but I often use it like
this:

is this wrong?????

Function x
select case z
case 1
goto one
case 2
goto two
case else
goto three
end select
exitFunction:
exit funtion
one:
.....
goto exitFunction
two:
............... ..
goto exitFunction
three:
............... .
goto exitFunction
end function
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[Salad]

WindAndWaves wrote:

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with the goto command. I noticed it is one
of those NEVER USE.

I can understand that it may lead to confusing code, but I often use it like
this:

is this wrong?????

Function x
select case z
case 1
goto one
case 2
goto two
case else
goto three
end select
exitFunction:
exit funtion
one:
.....
goto exitFunction
two:
............... ..
goto exitFunction
three:
............... .
goto exitFunction
end function

I operate under the theory that an ugly system that works is better than
a pretty system that doesn't. If it works for you and you are happy as
a clam, then go ahead.

That being said, if I were to hire someone that coded that way I would
give him/her one warning and the second time I saw him/her code like
that I would fire that person.

Also, if I were to come in behind the person that got fired I would most
likely update the code unless it was an irrelevent part of the system or
would take too much time to correct in regards to the benefits.

But there is nothing wrong with it...if you are talking about the
process itself working.

I think it shows a lack of pride. It shows you don't care. It shows
you are a maverick, not a team player. It shows you like spaghetti, the
messier the better, lots of tomato stains on your shirt, pants, and the
floor. Other programmers that study your code will wonder how you got
the job. Most likely your coworker programmers will laugh at you behind
your back and your coding style will remind them of the movie The Good,
The Bad, The Ugly.

But it works. If your application is of no consequence, use it.

Just my $.02

[WindAndWaves]

Dear Caesar Salad

You made me laugh. But you never really told me what is wrong with it.

In my example, it seems to me that I make the code easier, not harder to
understand, by breaking it up into parts. You read the main code to get the
gist of things and if you are interested then you can check on the
individual sub-routines. Some of these sub-routines may be lengthy and
would get in the way?

I mean, how would you write a function like the one I put below???

I definitely am a maverick, but that is not necessarily a bad thing (I
hope). Here in NZ we like to do things our own way.

Thanks for your reply

Nicolaas


"Salad" <oi*@vinegar.co m> wrote in message
news:j5******** ***********@new sread1.news.pas .earthlink.net. ..

WindAndWaves wrote:

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with the goto command. I noticed it is one of those NEVER USE.

I can understand that it may lead to confusing code, but I often use it like this:

is this wrong?????

Function x
select case z
case 1
goto one
case 2
goto two
case else
goto three
end select
exitFunction:
exit funtion
one:
.....
goto exitFunction
two:
............... ..
goto exitFunction
three:
............... .
goto exitFunction
end function

I operate under the theory that an ugly system that works is better than
a pretty system that doesn't. If it works for you and you are happy as
a clam, then go ahead.

That being said, if I were to hire someone that coded that way I would
give him/her one warning and the second time I saw him/her code like
that I would fire that person.

Also, if I were to come in behind the person that got fired I would most
likely update the code unless it was an irrelevent part of the system or
would take too much time to correct in regards to the benefits.

But there is nothing wrong with it...if you are talking about the
process itself working.

I think it shows a lack of pride. It shows you don't care. It shows
you are a maverick, not a team player. It shows you like spaghetti, the
messier the better, lots of tomato stains on your shirt, pants, and the
floor. Other programmers that study your code will wonder how you got
the job. Most likely your coworker programmers will laugh at you behind
your back and your coding style will remind them of the movie The Good,
The Bad, The Ugly.

But it works. If your application is of no consequence, use it.

Just my $.02

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[Stewart Allen]

Hi Nicolaas

The way you've written your code is like a bit of spaghetti, all over the
place within the same sub/function routine. If your one: two: & three:
labels contain complex code or many lines it would pay to create separate
subs/functions and call those subs/functions from the case one etc. This way
they can be tested and modified completely separately from the main
sub/function and the flow of the executed code follows a logical path, top
to bottom, not top to bottom then exit out the middle. My example below:

Function x
Select Case z
Case one
Call Subby1(z)
Case two
t = Fun2(z)
Case 3
t = Fun3(z)
End Select
x = t
ExitFun:
Exit Function
ErrTrap:
MsgBox "?????"
Resume ExitFun
End Function

Sub Subby1(e)
.....
.....
End Sub

Function Fun2(g) As Whatever
i = g * 3
Fun2 = i
End Function

Function Fun3(p) As Whatever
y = p * 6
Fun3 = y
End Function

If you're only going to have a few lines of code to execute for each Case
condition, place them under the Case conditions.
Try to follow the flow of this example using your logic (some obvious lines
omitted):
Sub Temp
Do Until rst.EOF
.MoveFirst
Select Case rst!City
Case "Auckland"
goto one
Case "Christchur ch"
goto two
Case "Wellington "
goto three
End Select
.MoveNext
Loop
TempExit:
Exit Sub
One:
MsgBox "City of Sails"
Two:
MsgBox "Smog City"
Three:
MsgBox "Windy City"
End Sub

I haven't tested the above code but will try it tonight.

Stewart
"WindAndWav es" <ac****@ngaru.c om> wrote in message
news:bt******** **********@news .xtra.co.nz...

Dear Caesar Salad

You made me laugh. But you never really told me what is wrong with it.

In my example, it seems to me that I make the code easier, not harder to
understand, by breaking it up into parts. You read the main code to get the gist of things and if you are interested then you can check on the
individual sub-routines. Some of these sub-routines may be lengthy and
would get in the way?

I mean, how would you write a function like the one I put below???

I definitely am a maverick, but that is not necessarily a bad thing (I
hope). Here in NZ we like to do things our own way.

Thanks for your reply

Nicolaas


"Salad" <oi*@vinegar.co m> wrote in message
news:j5******** ***********@new sread1.news.pas .earthlink.net. ..

WindAndWaves wrote:

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with the goto command. I noticed it

is

one of those NEVER USE.

I can understand that it may lead to confusing code, but I often use

it

like this:

is this wrong?????

Function x
select case z
case 1
goto one
case 2
goto two
case else
goto three
end select
exitFunction:
exit funtion
one:
.....
goto exitFunction
two:
............... ..
goto exitFunction
three:
............... .
goto exitFunction
end function

I operate under the theory that an ugly system that works is better than
a pretty system that doesn't. If it works for you and you are happy as
a clam, then go ahead.

That being said, if I were to hire someone that coded that way I would
give him/her one warning and the second time I saw him/her code like
that I would fire that person.

Also, if I were to come in behind the person that got fired I would most
likely update the code unless it was an irrelevent part of the system or
would take too much time to correct in regards to the benefits.

But there is nothing wrong with it...if you are talking about the
process itself working.

I think it shows a lack of pride. It shows you don't care. It shows
you are a maverick, not a team player. It shows you like spaghetti, the
messier the better, lots of tomato stains on your shirt, pants, and the
floor. Other programmers that study your code will wonder how you got
the job. Most likely your coworker programmers will laugh at you behind
your back and your coding style will remind them of the movie The Good,
The Bad, The Ugly.

But it works. If your application is of no consequence, use it.

Just my $.02

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(b) you are not the intended recipient
(c) you consider this email to be spam.
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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.698 / Virus Database: 455 - Release Date: 02/06/2004

[WindAndWaves]

Thank you stewart. I really appreciate your comments.
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[Stewart Allen]

I've tried out the last bit of code I sent you; when using the goto label
from within a loop you can't get back into the loop.

Stewart

"WindAndWav es" <ac****@ngaru.c om> wrote in message
news:8H******** **********@news .xtra.co.nz...

Thank you stewart. I really appreciate your comments.
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[WindAndWaves]

what do you mean???

from within a loop you can't get back into the loop.

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[Salad]

WindAndWaves wrote:

Dear Caesar Salad

You made me laugh. But you never really told me what is wrong with it.
I'm glad you laughed.

There is nothing wrong with with the code. It works. In programming,
that is the bottom line...creating something that works.

However, your code examples is called spaghetti code. Spaghetti is a
bunch of noodles swimming around on a plate usually with some topping.
The start and end of the noodles may not be easy to see.

In days past, people used GoTo a lot. Yours is a very simple example.
However, lets say that you wanted to create more GoTos in the GoTos.
All of a sudden you've added complexity to the subroutine. And if you
add GoTos in those GoTos all of a sudden you have a mess. Then you if
you have a problem you are jumping all over the routine trying to figure
out what's what.

That is why there are functions and procedures. You can break a task
into segments and return values or performs some process. It adds
readability to the program. It may help in debugging.

Your code example is small. Remember that. But it would be very easy
to expand it so that it would be difficult to follow. In a routine you
want to see the start, the process, and the end in easy or as-easy to
follow increments as you can.

You don't want to come back to this code later on and cry "Holy Smoke,
what the heck is that?"

In my example, it seems to me that I make the code easier, not harder to
understand, by breaking it up into parts. You read the main code to get the
gist of things and if you are interested then you can check on the
individual sub-routines. Some of these sub-routines may be lengthy and
would get in the way?

I mean, how would you write a function like the one I put below???
Stewart gave a good example.

I definitely am a maverick, but that is not necessarily a bad thing (I
hope). Here in NZ we like to do things our own way.

I think most good programmers are mavericks. The thing is that you
don't want to get so far away from the herd (newsgroup help responders)
you're alone in the hot desert and the water hole is a mirage (newsgroup
responders provide no help or answers).

If this is a personal program that only you will ever work on, then do
what you want. Nobody will laugh. Nobody will cry "Why ME!" Any
arbitrary rules can be broken. The goal is to create something that
works. If you plan on passing on this app to a subordinate in the
future due to a promotion or perhaps take another job or even go on to
another project before you retire, it is worthwhile to develop good
habits now.

[Stewart Allen]

Create a table called tblCities and add 6 cities where three of them must be
Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington and paste the following code into a
standard module:

Sub Temp()
Dim db As DAO.Database
Dim rst As DAO.Recordset
Set db = CurrentDb
Set rst = db.OpenRecordse t("tblCities" )
With rst
.MoveFirst
Do Until .EOF
Select Case !City
Case "Auckland"
GoTo One
Case "Christchur ch"
GoTo Two
Case "Wellington "
GoTo Three
Case Else
GoTo Four
End Select
.MoveNext
Loop
End With
One:
MsgBox "City of Sails"
Two:
MsgBox "Smog City"
Three:
MsgBox "Windy City"
Four:
MsgBox "Unknown nickname"
Temp_Exit:
On Error Resume Next
rst.Close
Set rst = Nothing
Set db = Nothing
Exit Sub
Temp_Err:
MsgBox Err.Number & " " & Err.Description , vbInformation, "Temp Error"
Resume Temp_Exit
End Sub

Place a break point on the line starting With rst by placing your cursor on
that line and press <F9>. Open up the immediate window (Ctrl + G) and run
the routine by typing Temp and pressing <Enter>. Press <F8> to follow the
code line by line and you'll see that when you exit the loop using the goto
command you won't get back into it again. If you have 6 records (Cities) you
should go through the Do Until Loop 6 times and have 6 MsgBox's appear.

Stewart
"WindAndWav es" <ac****@ngaru.c om> wrote in message
news:UY******** **********@news .xtra.co.nz...

what do you mean???

from within a loop you can't get back into the loop.
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email contains a virus
(b) you are not the intended recipient
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none of the above are applicable. THANK YOU
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.698 / Virus Database: 455 - Release Date: 02/06/2004

[Steve Jorgensen]

On Mon, 7 Jun 2004 14:03:41 +1200, "WindAndWav es" <ac****@ngaru.c om> wrote:

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with the goto command. I noticed it is one
of those NEVER USE.

All of the previous replies are great, but I also wanted to add that the truth
is Gotos are things you should mostly avoid, but they can be used well in very
specific circumstances, and with proper consideration. Use them only when
there's a good reason to do so, and where they don't add complexity or
increase the likelihood of unwanted side-effects creeping into the code.

An example of a good way to use Gotos is to skip the majority of a procedure
when it would be irrelevant. A Goto, when used in this way, is known as a
Guard Clause. The alternative is to nest the majority of the procedure in an
If block, and if there are several of them, the body of the code may be nested
several levels deep.

Without guard clauses...
Sub Foo(colBar As VBA.Collection)
If Not (objBar Is Nothing) Then
If objBar.Count > 0 Then
If objBar(1) <> "-" Then
' Code body
' ...
' ...
' ...
End If
End If
End If
' Clean-up code.
' ...
End Sub

With guard clauses...
Sub Foo(colBar As VBA.Collection)
If objBar Is Nothing Then Goto Clean_Up_And_Ex it
If objBar.Count = 0 Then Goto Clean_Up_And_Ex it
If objBar(1) = "-" Then Goto Clean_Up_And_Ex it
' Code body
' ...
' ...
' ...
Clean_Up_And_Ex it:
' Clean-up code.
' ...
End Sub