Re: Declaration of INDEXED file


"Scott Peterson" <scottp4.removethistoreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:11c8kb9ftep6b4a@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "Richard" <riplin@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> >Technically that is incorrect. 'next sentence' has a specific meaning
> >being the point following the next full stop. You meant 'next
> >statement'.
> >
>
> ...or if you want to be really technical, next imperative statement,
> although I think my meaning was clear.
>

Ummm .... No, that ain't it.

'Next sentence' is supposed to transfer control to the statement that
follows the period that terminates the current SENTENCE, no matter how many
'imperative statements' comprise that sentence. It's a very important
point.

The 2002 standard even explicitly points out the fact that this
MISperception is widespread: "It is a common belief among users that
control is transferred to a position after the scope delimiter rather than
to a separator period that follows it somewhere." (ISO/IEC 1989:2002 page
833, Annex G: Archaic and obsolete language element lists, item 3: NEXT
SENTENCE phrase in IF and SEARCH statements).

It's an even more important distinction if the implementor supports 'next
sentence' outside the context of a delimited-scope IF or SEARCH statement
(the only places the standard allows it) as an extension.

A sentence ends with a period, in English as in COBOL, and from the
perspective of the current sentence, the next one begins after that
terminating period, period. CONTINUE is the construct that gets you to the
next imperative statement.

-Chuck Stevens


.