Active server pages tutorial: Do...Loop / Select...Case instructions

Active Server Pages: Do...Loop / Select...Case instructions

Do While...Loop

Again, we will define a condition and one or more instructions:

<%
mynumber=0
Do While mynumber<10

response.write("Hello<HR>")
mynumber=mynumber+1

Loop
%>

In this example the condition is "mynumber<10" and the instructions defines a response text and an increment of the variable "mynumber". In the example, mynumber will be increased until it gets a value of 10. Then the loop will be abandon. Several instruction may be used within the loop.

Do Until....Loop

Quite similar to the previous one, it also includes a condition and one or more instructions:

<%
mynumber=0
Do Until mynumber=10

response.write("Hello<HR>")
mynumber=mynumber+1

Loop
%>

In this example the condition is "mynumber=10", so mynumber will increased until it is equal to 10, and then the loop will be abandon.

Let's see an example using this Do Until...Loop:

<%
myfirstnumber=0
mysecondnumber=0

Do Until myfirstnumber=15

     Do Until mysecondnumber=15
              response.write("X")
              mysecondnumber=mysecondnumber+1
     Loop
     Response.write ("<BR>")
     myfirstnumber=myfirstnumber+1
     mysecondnumber=myfirstnumber

Loop

Response.write ("END")
%>

The result of the script is this one:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXX
XXXXXXX
XXXXXX
XXXXX
XXXX
XXX
XX
X
END

Select Case....End Select

This is a very useful instruction in case we want to check different values for variable. Lets check an example:

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<%
mynumber=3
Select Case mynumber
   Case 1
       Response.write ("Number 1")
   Case 2
       Response.write ("Number 2")
   Case 3
       Response.write ("Number 3")
   Case 4
       Response.write ("Number 4")
   Case 5
       Response.write ("Number 5")
   Case Else
       Response write ("Mynumber is higher than 5")
End Select
%>

In this example above, we have defined mynumber as 3, so they are executed the instructions following line 8 (in this case only one instruction is executed, but they may be several instructions). Case Else is not necessary.

Let's try a second example:

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<%
username=request.form("username")
Select Case username
   Case "Peter"
       Response.write ("Hello, Peter")
   Case "John"
       Response.write ("Hello, John")
   Case "Joe"
       Response.write ("Hi, Joe")
   Case Else
       Response write ("I do not know you")
End Select
%>

Let's see a different example:

backgroundform.html

<html>
<head><title>Chose background color</title></head>
<form action="backgroundresponse.asp" method="post">
Which color do you prefer to use as your background?
<BR>
<input type="radio" name="kindofcolor" value="defined" checked>
Defined color
<select name="definedcolor">
<option value="#FFFFFF">White</option>
<option value="#FF0000">Red</option>
<option value="#00FF00">Green</option>
<option value="#0000FF">Blue</option>
</select>
<BR>
<input type="radio" name="kindofcolor" value="custom">
Custom color
<input type="text" size="8" name="mycolor"></input>
<BR><input type="Submit" value="Submit"></input>
</form>
</body>
</html>

backgroundresponse.asp

<%
kindofcolor=Request.form("kindofcolor")

Select Case kindofcolor
   case "defined"
    colorofbackground=Request.form("definedcolor")
       Select Case colorofbackground
                 case "#FFFFFF"
                      texttoshow="White"
                 case "#FF0000"
                      texttoshow="Red"
                 case "#00FF00"
                      texttoshow="Green"
                 case "#0000FF"
                      texttoshow="Blue"
        End select
   case "custom"
        colorofbackground=Request.form("mycolor")
        texttoshow="Custon color"
End select
%>

<html>
<head><title>Chose background color</title></head>
<body bgcolor="<% =colorofbackground %>">
<center>
<H1><% =texttoshow %></H1>
</center>
</form>
</body>
</html>

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