[c++] How to break out of a loop from inside a switch?

I'm writing some code that looks like this:

while(true) {
    switch(msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE: // ... 
        break;
    // ... more stuff ...
    case DONE:
        break; // **HERE, I want to break out of the loop itself**
    }
}

Is there any direct way to do that?

I know I can use a flag, and break from the loop by putting a conditional break just after the switch. I just want to know if C++ has some construct for this already.

You could put your switch into a separate function like this:

bool myswitchfunction()
{
    switch(msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE: // ... 
        break;
    // ... more stuff ...
    case DONE:
        return false; // **HERE, I want to break out of the loop itself**
    }
    return true;
}

while(myswitchfunction())
    ;

A neatish way to do this would be to put this into a function:

int yourfunc() {

    while(true) {

        switch(msg->state) {
        case MSGTYPE: // ... 
            break;
        // ... more stuff ...
        case DONE:
            return; 
        }

    }
}

Optionally (but 'bad practices'): as already suggested you could use a goto, or throw an exception inside the switch.

  while(true)
  {
    switch(x)
    {
     case 1:
     {
      break;
     }
    break;
   case 2:
    //some code here
   break;
  default:
  //some code here
  }
}

You could potentially use goto, but I would prefer to set a flag that stops the loop. Then break out of the switch.

I got same problem and solved using a flag.

bool flag = false;
while(true) {
    switch(msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE: // ... 
        break;
    // ... more stuff ...
    case DONE:
        flag = true; // **HERE, I want to break out of the loop itself**
    }
    if(flag) break;
}

while(MyCondition) {
switch(msg->state) {
case MSGTYPE: // ... 
    break;
// ... more stuff ...
case DONE:
   MyCondition=false; // just add this code and you will be out of loop.
    break; // **HERE, you want to break out of the loop itself**
}
}

It amazes me how simple this is considering the depth of explanations... Here's all you need...

bool imLoopin = true;

while(imLoopin) {

    switch(msg->state) {

        case MSGTYPE: // ... 
            break;

        // ... more stuff ...

        case DONE:
            imLoopin = false;
            break;

    }

}

LOL!! Really! That's all you need! One extra variable!

Even if you don't like goto, do not use an exception to exit a loop. The following sample shows how ugly it could be:

try {
  while ( ... ) {
    switch( ... ) {
      case ...:
        throw 777; // I'm afraid of goto
     }
  }
}
catch ( int )
{
}

I would use goto as in this answer. In this case goto will make code more clear then any other option. I hope that this question will be helpful.

But I think that using goto is the only option here because of the string while(true). You should consider refactoring of your loop. I'd suppose the following solution:

bool end_loop = false;
while ( !end_loop ) {
    switch( msg->state ) {
    case MSGTYPE: // ... 
        break;
    // ... more stuff ...
    case DONE:
        end_loop = true; break;
    }
}

Or even the following:

while ( msg->state != DONE ) {
    switch( msg->state ) {
    case MSGTYPE: // ... 
        break;
    // ... more stuff ...
}

Why not just fix the condition in your while loop, causing the problem to disappear?

while(msg->state != DONE)
{
    switch(msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE: // ... 
        break;
    // ... more stuff ...
    case DONE:
        // We can't get here, but for completeness we list it.
        break; // **HERE, I want to break out of the loop itself**
    }
}

The simplest way to do it is to put a simple IF before you do the SWITCH , and that IF test your condition for exiting the loop .......... as simple as it can be

If I remember C++ syntax well, you can add a label to break statements, just like for goto. So what you want would be easily written:

while(true) {
    switch(msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE: // ...
        break;
    // ... more stuff ...
    case DONE:
        break outofloop; // **HERE, I want to break out of the loop itself**
    }
}

outofloop:
// rest of your code here

There's no C++ construct for breaking out of the loop in this case.

Either use a flag to interrupt the loop or (if appropriate) extract your code into a function and use return.

I think;

while(msg->state != mExit) 
{
    switch(msg->state) 
    {
      case MSGTYPE: // ...
         break;
      case DONE:
      //  .. 
      //  ..
      msg->state =mExit;
      break;
    }
}
if (msg->state ==mExit)
     msg->state =DONE;

AFAIK there is no "double break" or similar construct in C++. The closest would be a goto - which, while it has a bad connotation to its name, exists in the language for a reason - as long as it's used carefully and sparingly, it's a viable option.

An alternate solution is to use the keyword continue in combination with break, i.e.:

for (;;) {
    switch(msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE:
        // code
        continue; // continue with loop
    case DONE:
        break;
    }
    break;
}

Use the continue statement to finish each case label where you want the loop to continue and use the break statement to finish case labels that should terminate the loop.

Of course this solution only works if there is no additional code to execute after the switch statement.

You can use goto.

while ( ... ) {
   switch( ... ) {
     case ...:
         goto exit_loop;

   }
}
exit_loop: ;

The break keyword in C++ only terminates the most-nested enclosing iteration or switch statement. Thus, you couldn't break out of the while (true) loop directly within the switch statement; however you could use the following code, which I think is an excellent pattern for this type of problem:

for (; msg->state != DONE; msg = next_message()) {
    switch (msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE:
        //...
        break;

    //...
    }
}

If you needed to do something when msg->state equals DONE (such as run a cleanup routine), then place that code immediately after the for loop; i.e. if you currently have:

while (true) {
    switch (msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE:
        //... 
        break;

    //...

    case DONE:
        do_cleanup();
        break;
    }

    if (msg->state == DONE)
        break;

    msg = next_message();
}

Then use instead:

for (; msg->state != DONE; msg = next_message()) {
    switch (msg->state) {
    case MSGTYPE:
        //...
        break;

    //...
    }
}

assert(msg->state == DONE);
do_cleanup();

No, C++ does not have a construct for this, given that the keyword "break" is already reserved for exiting the switch block. Alternatively a do..while() with an exit flag could suffice.

do { 
    switch(option){
        case 1: ..; break;
        ...
        case n: .. ;break;
        default: flag = false; break;
    }
} while(flag);