Loops/Wrong ranges
Some languages have syntax or function(s) to generate a range of numeric values from a start value, a stop value, and an increment.
The purpose of this task is to select the range syntax/function that would generate at least two increasing numbers when given a stop value more than the start value and a positive increment of less than half the difference. You are than to use that same syntax/function but with different parameters; and show, here, what would happen.
Use these values if possible:
start stop increment Comment -2 2 1 Normal -2 2 0 Zero increment -2 2 -1 Increments away from stop value -2 2 10 First increment is beyond stop value 2 -2 1 Start more than stop: positive increment 2 2 1 Start equal stop: positive increment 2 2 -1 Start equal stop: negative increment 2 2 0 Start equal stop: zero increment 0 0 0 Start equal stop equal zero: zero increment
Python
Python has the range function. <lang python>import re from itertools import islice # To limit execution if it would generate huge values
- list(islice('ABCDEFG', 2)) --> ['A', 'B']
- list(islice('ABCDEFG', 4)) --> ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D']
data =
start stop increment Comment
-2 2 1 Normal
-2 2 0 Zero increment
-2 2 -1 Increments away from stop value
-2 2 10 First increment is beyond stop value
2 -2 1 Start more than stop: positive increment
2 2 1 Start equal stop: positive increment
2 2 -1 Start equal stop: negative increment
2 2 0 Start equal stop: zero increment
0 0 0 Start equal stop equal zero: zero increment
table = [re.split(r'\s\s+', line.strip()) for line in data.strip().split('\n')]
- %%
for _start, _stop, _increment, comment in table[1:]:
start, stop, increment = [int(x) for x in (_start, _stop, _increment)]
print(f'{comment.upper()}:\n range({start}, {stop}, {increment})')
error, values = None, None
try:
values = list(islice(range(start, stop, increment), 999))
except ValueError as e:
error = e
print(' !!ERROR!!', e)
if values is not None:
if len(values) < 22:
print(' =', values)
else:
print(' =', str(values[:22])[:-1], '...')
</lang>
- Output:
NORMAL:
range(-2, 2, 1)
= [-2, -1, 0, 1]
ZERO INCREMENT:
range(-2, 2, 0)
!!ERROR!! range() arg 3 must not be zero
INCREMENTS AWAY FROM STOP VALUE:
range(-2, 2, -1)
= []
FIRST INCREMENT IS BEYOND STOP VALUE:
range(-2, 2, 10)
= [-2]
START MORE THAN STOP: POSITIVE INCREMENT:
range(2, -2, 1)
= []
START EQUAL STOP: POSITIVE INCREMENT:
range(2, 2, 1)
= []
START EQUAL STOP: NEGATIVE INCREMENT:
range(2, 2, -1)
= []
START EQUAL STOP: ZERO INCREMENT:
range(2, 2, 0)
!!ERROR!! range() arg 3 must not be zero
START EQUAL STOP EQUAL ZERO: ZERO INCREMENT:
range(0, 0, 0)
!!ERROR!! range() arg 3 must not be zero
REXX
Note that a do loop with zero by value, or a do loop that goes in the "wrong" direction is not considered an error in REXX as there are other methods of limiting the range (or stopping condition) within the loop body. A special check was made in this REXX version to check for a runaway (race) condition. <lang rexx>/*REXX program demonstrates several versions of DO loops with "unusual" interations. */ @.=; @.1= ' -2 2 1 ' /*"normal". */
@.2= ' -2 2 0 ' /*"normal", zero increment.*/
@.3= ' -2 2 -1 ' /*increases away from stop, neg increment.*/
@.4= ' -2 2 10 ' /*1st increment > stop, positive increment.*/
@.5= ' 2 -2 1 ' /*start > stop, positive increment.*/
@.6= ' 2 2 1 ' /*start equals stop, positive increment.*/
@.7= ' 2 2 -1 ' /*start equals stop, negative increment.*/
@.8= ' 2 2 0 ' /*start equals stop, zero increment.*/
@.9= ' 0 0 0 ' /*start equals stop, zero increment.*/
zLim= 10 /*a limit to check for runaway (race) loop.*/
/*a zero increment is not an error in REXX.*/
do k=1 while @.k\== /*perform a DO loop with several ranges. */
parse var @.k x y z . /*obtain the three values for a DO loop. */
say
say center('start of performing DO loop number ' k " with range: " x y z, 79, '═')
zz= 0
do j=x to y by z until zz>=zLim /* ◄─── perform the DO loop.*/
say ' j ───►' right(j, max(3, length(j) ) ) /*right justify J for alignment*/
if z==0 then zz= zz + 1 /*if zero inc, count happenings*/
end /*j*/
if zz>=zLim then say 'the DO loop for the ' k " entry was terminated (runaway)."
say center(' end of performing DO loop number ' k " with range: " x y z, 79, '─')
say
end /*k*/ /*stick a fork in it, we're all done. */</lang>
- output:
══════════start of performing DO loop number 1 with range: -2 2 1═══════════ j ───► -2 j ───► -1 j ───► 0 j ───► 1 j ───► 2 ────────── end of performing DO loop number 1 with range: -2 2 1─────────── ══════════start of performing DO loop number 2 with range: -2 2 0═══════════ j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 j ───► -2 the DO loop for the 2 entry was terminated (runaway). ────────── end of performing DO loop number 2 with range: -2 2 0─────────── ══════════start of performing DO loop number 3 with range: -2 2 -1══════════ ────────── end of performing DO loop number 3 with range: -2 2 -1────────── ══════════start of performing DO loop number 4 with range: -2 2 10══════════ j ───► -2 ────────── end of performing DO loop number 4 with range: -2 2 10────────── ══════════start of performing DO loop number 5 with range: 2 -2 1═══════════ ────────── end of performing DO loop number 5 with range: 2 -2 1─────────── ═══════════start of performing DO loop number 6 with range: 2 2 1═══════════ j ───► 2 ─────────── end of performing DO loop number 6 with range: 2 2 1─────────── ══════════start of performing DO loop number 7 with range: 2 2 -1═══════════ j ───► 2 ────────── end of performing DO loop number 7 with range: 2 2 -1─────────── ═══════════start of performing DO loop number 8 with range: 2 2 0═══════════ j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 j ───► 2 the DO loop for the 8 entry was terminated (runaway). ─────────── end of performing DO loop number 8 with range: 2 2 0─────────── ═══════════start of performing DO loop number 9 with range: 0 0 0═══════════ j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 j ───► 0 the DO loop for the 9 entry was terminated (runaway). ─────────── end of performing DO loop number 9 with range: 0 0 0───────────