CONTINUE Statement

The CONTINUE statement exits the current iteration of a loop, either conditionally or unconditionally, and transfers control to the next iteration of either the current loop or an enclosing labeled loop.

Topics:

• Syntax

• Semantics

• Usage

• Examples

• Related Topics

Syntax

continue_statement ::=

See boolean_expression ::=.

Semantics

label

A name that identifies either the current loop or an enclosing loop (see "Basic LOOP Statement").

Without label, the CONTINUE statement transfers control to the next iteration of the current loop. With label, the CONTINUE statement transfers control to the next iteration of the loop that label identifies.

WHEN boolean_expression

Without this clause, the CONTINUE statement exits the current iteration of the loop unconditionally. With this clause, the CONTINUE statement exits the current iteration of the loop if and only if the value of boolean_expression is TRUE.

Usage

A CONTINUE statement can appear anywhere inside a loop, but not outside a loop.

A CONTINUE statement cannot cross a subprogram or method boundary.

If a CONTINUE statement exits a cursor FOR loop prematurely (for example, to exit an inner loop and transfer control to the next iteration of an outer loop), the cursor closes (in this context, CONTINUE works like GOTO).

Examples

• Example 4-12, "CONTINUE Statement in Basic LOOP Statement"

• Example 4-13, "CONTINUE WHEN Statement in Basic LOOP Statement"

Related Topics

In this chapter:

• "EXIT Statement"

• "Expression"

• "Basic LOOP Statement"

In other chapters:

• "CONTINUE Statement"

• "CONTINUE WHEN Statement"