Unfamiliar piece of enhanced for loop syntax

Question

I have the job of going through another's code and I'm trying to figure it all out when I came across this for loop.

//I don't understand the purpose of assetLoop
assetLoop: for (AssetObject asset : assets) {

     //Some code
}

I've never seen this syntax and I can't find any reference to it anywhere through my google searches. Can anyone tell me what assetLoop: is doing? Or simply give me the name of this concept so I can do some non-mindless googling and read about it? :)

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 14 '13 at 00:11

4

This is called a label.

It allows you to write break assetLoop from a nested loop to break out of the outer loop.

It's essentially a limited form of goto, and is rarely used.

answered Jun 14 '13 at 00:11

SLaks

868,454
176
1,908
1,964

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3821827/loop-in-java-code-what-is-this-why-does-it-compile-and-generally-wtf/3821841#3821841 – jmj Jun 14 '13 at 00:11
Why is it rarely used? – Steve P. Jun 14 '13 at 00:13
1

http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?GotoConsideredHarmful – selig Jun 14 '13 at 00:24

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 14 '13 at 00:13

0

It's a label. You can put them on any statement. break assetLoop; will break out of that loop, even if the break statement is within another for, while, do-while or switch statement. Similarly continure assetLoop; will jump to the next iteration of the loop.

answered Jun 14 '13 at 00:13

Tom Hawtin - tackline

145,806
30
211
305

Unfamiliar piece of enhanced for loop syntax

2 Answers2