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The Dangling Else

A Potential Problem

     if (C1) if (C2) S2 else S3

To which if does the else S3 clause belong?

The Program

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The Sample Run

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The Program

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The Sample Run

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The Lesson

Where there are two if's and only one else, the else is matched with the closest if.

Don't take chances!! ALWAYS use brackets to make things explicit:

     if (C1) 
     {
        if (C2) 
	{
	   S2 
	}   
	else 
	{
	   S3
	}
     }

OR

     if (C1) 
     {
        if (C2) 
	{
	   S2
	} 
     }
     else 
     {
        S3
     }

[an error occurred while processing this directive] Sunday, 16-Feb-1997 12:53:33 EST