Scribd
Upload
4 views

C - Switch Statement

Uploaded by

ketankumar2614
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
4 views

C - Switch Statement

Uploaded by

ketankumar2614
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

A switch statement allows a variable to be tested for equality against a list of values.

Each value is
called a case, and the variable being switched on is checked for each switch case.

Syntax
The syntax for a switch statement in C programming language is as follows −

switch(expression) {

case constant-expression :
statement(s);
break; /* optional */

case constant-expression :
statement(s);
break; /* optional */

/* you can have any number of case statements */


default : /* Optional */
statement(s);
}

The following rules apply to a switch statement −

The expression used in a switch statement must have an integral or enumerated type, or
be of a class type in which the class has a single conversion function to an integral or
enumerated type.
You can have any number of case statements within a switch. Each case is followed by the
value to be compared to and a colon.

The constant-expression for a case must be the same data type as the variable in the
switch, and it must be a constant or a literal.
When the variable being switched on is equal to a case, the statements following that case
will execute until a break statement is reached.

When a break statement is reached, the switch terminates, and the flow of control jumps to
the next line following the switch statement.

Not every case needs to contain a break. If no break appears, the flow of control will fall
through to subsequent cases until a break is reached.

A switch statement can have an optional default case, which must appear at the end of the
switch. The default case can be used for performing a task when none of the cases is true.
No break is needed in the default case.

Flow Diagram
Example
Live Demo
#include <stdio.h>

int main () {

/* local variable definition */


char grade = 'B';

switch(grade) {
case 'A' :
printf("Excellent!\n" );
break;
case 'B' :
case 'C' :
printf("Well done\n" );
break;
case 'D' :
printf("You passed\n" );
break;
case 'F' :
printf("Better try again\n" );
break;
default :
printf("Invalid grade\n" );
}

printf("Your grade is %c\n", grade );

return 0;
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it produces the following result −
Well done
Your grade is B

You might also like