[H-GEN] Which is better?

[Andrae Muys]

Edwin Groothuis wrote:
> It depends on what you do with the myArray in the loop :-)
> 
> If you don't modify it (size-wise), then the first one is best.
> If you do modify it (size-wise), then the second one is best.
> 

Ummm, if you modify it's size, the first isn't worse, it's *wrong*.

> Also, using a for() loops vs a foreach() loop:
> 	for (index=0;index<myArray.length;index++) {
> 		data=myArray[i]
> 		...
> 	}

Heh, who stole your spacebar?

for (i = 0; i < myArray.length; i++) {
   data = myArray[i];
   ...
}

(Note the corrected indexing :).

> at the first one you can "skip" elements by increasing the index
> in the loop, the second one does all of them. I prefer the second
> notation (because it's cleaner with regarding to syntax), but it's
> less flexible.
> 

The second is preferable yes.  However the loops are equivalent, if only 
because if you try mutating the loop-index *inside* the loop in my 
code-base I'll have you strung up by your entrails while I try and think 
of something sutiably nasty to reciprocate with.

If you want to go skipping over elements, define a suitable iterator, 
iteration function, or just use continue like Gosling intended!

Andrae

P.S. It is a worthwhile experiment writing a small application with 
nothing but final fields, parameters, and variables -- then to relax the 
restrictions slowly (first allow non-final fields, then non-final 
variables/parameters).  It will teach you alot about OO programming, and 
programming in general.