Give the syntax switch statements
Consider the following example. This is a function which converts an integer into a vague description. It is useful where we are only concerned in measuring a quantity when it is quite small.
estimate(number)
int number;
/* Estimate a number as none, one, two, several, many */
{ switch(number) {
case 0 : printf("None\n"); break;
case 1 : printf("One\n"); break;
case 2 : printf("Two\n"); break;
case 3 : case 4 : case 5 :
printf("Several\n");
break;
default :
printf("Many\n");
break;
}
}
Each interesting case is listed with a corresponding action. The break statement prevents any further statements from being executed by leaving the switch. Since case 3 and case 4 have no following break, they continue on allowing the same action for several values of number.
Both if and switch constructs allow the programmer to make a selection from a number ofpossible actions.