Lecture III

Control structures: The Selection & Repetition Structures

 Control structures

Every procedure in an application is written using one or more
of three basic control structures:
 sequence, selection, and repetition.

They are called control structures because they control the
order in which a procedure’s instructions are processed.
 The Selection Structure

If…Then…Else statement

Comparison operators

Logical operators

String comparisons

Nested selection structures

Select Case statement
Selection Structures
 Selection Structures


The condition in a selection structure must be phrased so that it
evaluates to an answer of either true or false.

A single-alternative selection structure requires one or more actions to
be taken only when its condition evaluates to true.

A dual-alternative selection structure , on the other hand, requires one
set of instructions to be followed only when the condition is true and a
different set of instructions only when it is false.

The instructions to follow when the condition evaluates to true are called
the true path.

The instructions to follow when the condition evaluates to false are called
the false path.
 If…Then…Else

The If…Then…Else statement is used for coding single-alternative and
dual-alternative selection structures.

The condition must be a Boolean expression and can contain:
 variables, named constants, literals, properties, methods, keywords, arithmetic
operators, comparison operators, and logical operators.
 Comparison Operators

Comparison operators (also referred to as relational operators) are
used to compare two values.


When making comparisons, keep in mind that:

 equal to (=) is the opposite of not equal to (<>),

 greater than (>) is the opposite of less than or equal to (<=),

 and less than (<) is the opposite of greater than or equal to (>=).


Expressions containing a comparison operator always evaluate to a
Boolean value: either True or False.
Comparison Operator Example: Total Due Application

The Total Due application displays the total amount a customer
owes,
 which is based on the number of items purchased.

Each item costs $8.50.

However, the customer receives a 10% discount when the
number of items purchased is at least 5.
Button click code: Variable declaration
Button click code: If..End if
Comparison Operator Example: Net Income/Loss Application

The Net Income/Loss application calculates either a company’s net
income or its net loss.

It displays the net income using a black font and displays the net loss
using a red font.

The statement in the selection structure’s true path will be processed
only when the decNet variable’s value is less than 0.

Otherwise, which means the variable’s value is greater than or equal
to 0, the statement in the false path will be processed.
Comparison Operator Example: Net Income/Loss Application

User Interface
Comparison Operator Example: Net Income/Loss Application

Variable declaration
Comparison Operator Example: Net Income/Loss Application

If...Else...End If
 Logical Operators
Operator Operations Precedence
Not reverses the truth-value of the condition; True becomes 1
False, and False becomes True
And all subconditions must be true for the compound 2
condition to evaluate to True
AndAlso same as the And operator, except performs 2
short-circuit evaluation
Or only one of the subconditions needs to be true for the 3
compound condition to evaluate to True
OrElse same as the Or operator, except performs 3
short-circuit evaluation
Xor one and only one of the subconditions can be true for the 4
compound condition to evaluate to True
 Logical Operators

Truth Table
Logical Operator Example: Gross Pay Calculator Application

The Gross Pay Calculator application calculates and displays an
employee’s weekly gross pay, given the number of hours worked and
the hourly pay rate.

The number of hours worked must be greater than 0 but less than or
equal to 40.

If the number of hours worked is not valid, the application should
display N/A (for Not Available).
Logical Operator Example: Gross Pay Calculator Application

.
 Logical Operator Example: Gross Pay – AndAlso


Variable declaration
 Logical Operator Example: Gross Pay – OrElse

Variable declaration
 String Comparison – Assignment

Develop a simple application that makes use of methods Trim,
ToUpper, and ToLower. Present your interface and code in hard copy
on 17th July. Each student is required to submit a unique solution
(copy work means cancellation of assignment).
 Nested Selection Structures

When either a selection structure’s true path or its false path contains
another selection structure,
 the inner selection structure is referred to as a nested selection
structure
 because it is contained (nested) entirely within the outer selection
structure.
 Nested Selection Structures – Example

Voter eligibility checker
 Two different code versions of code on next slides.
 Nested Selection Structures – Example

Voter eligibility checker
 Nested Selection Structures – Example

Voter eligibility checker
 Select Case Statement

When a multiple-alternative selection structure has many paths from
which to choose,
 it is often simpler and clearer to code the selection structure using
the Select Case statement rather than several If…Then…Else
statements.
 Select Case Statement

 Select Case Statement

Range of Values – Example
 Select Case Statement

Range of Values – Example
 Repetition Structures

Do…Loop statement (pretest loop)

Infinite loops

Do…Loop statement (posttest loop)

For…Next statement
 Repetition Structures

Programmers use the repetition structure, referred to more simply as a loop,
 when they need the computer to repeatedly process one or more
program instructions.

The loop contains a condition that controls whether the instructions are
repeated.

It can either specify the requirement for repeating the instructions – looping
condition

or the requirement for not repeating them – loop exit condition.

When the condition is at the top of the loop, the loop is referred to as a pretest
loop.

And posttest loop when at the bottom.
Repetition Structures – Do…Loop Statement (Pretest Loop)

The loop’s condition, must follow either the keyword While or
Until.

The While keyword is used in a looping condition to specify that
the loop body should be processed while the condition is true.

The Until keyword is used in a loop exit condition to specify that
the loop body should be processed until the condition becomes
true, at which time the loop should stop.

Let’s consider the examples below:
 Do…Loop Statement (Pretest Loop) – Example

Printing integers from 1 – 5.
 Do…Loop Statement (Pretest Loop) – Example

Printing integers from 1 – 5: While keyword.
 Do…Loop Statement (Pretest Loop) – Example

Printing integers from 1 – 5: Until keyword.
 Repetition Structures – Infinite Loops

A loop that has no way to end is called an infinite loop or an endless
loop .


An infinite loop is many times created when the loop body does not
contain an instruction that will make either;
 the looping condition evaluate to False or the loop exit condition
evaluate to True.

An infinite loop is stopped by clicking Debug on the menu bar and
then clicking Stop Debugging.


Or, by clicking the Stop Debugging button (the red square) on the
Standard toolbar.
Repetition Structures – Do…Loop Statement (Posttest Loop)

Except for the location of the keyword (While or Until) and the
condition, the syntax is the same as the pretest loop.
 Do…Loop Statement (Posttest Loop) – Example

Printing integers from 1 – 5: While
 Do…Loop Statement (Posttest Loop) – Example

Printing integers from 1 – 5: Until
 Repetition Structures – For…Next Statement

Unlike the Do…Loop statement, which can be used to code both pretest
and posttest loops.

The For…Next statement can be used to code only a specific type of
pretest loop, called a counter-controlled loop.

A counter-controlled loop is a loop whose processing is controlled by a
counter.

Counter-controlled loop are used when the computer needs to process
the loop instructions a precise number of times.

Although the Do…Loop statement can be used, the For…Next statement
provides a more compact and convenient way of writing that type of loop.
 Repetition Structures – For…Next Statement

U
 Repetition Structures – For…Next Statement

U
 Repetition Structures – For…Next Statement

U
 Repetition Structures – For…Next Statement

Comparing the For…Next and Do…Loop Statements