The Ring programming language version 1.7 book - Part 22 of 196

1. Ring Documentation, Release 1.7
list = [1,2,3,"four","five"]
list2 = list
list = []
See list # print the first list - no items to print
See "********" + nl
See list2 # print the second list - contains 5 items
18.3 Weakly Typed
Ring is a weakly typed language, this means that the language can automatically convert between data types (like
string & numbers) when that conversion make sense.
Rules:
<NUMBER> + <STRING> --> <NUMBER>
<STRING> + <NUMBER> --> <STRING>
Note: The same operator ‘+’ can be used as an arithmetic operator or for string concatenation.
Example:
x = 10 # x is a number
y = "20" # y is a string
sum = x + y # sum is a number (y will be converted to a number)
Msg = "Sum = " + sum # Msg is a string (sum will be converted to a string)
see Msg + nl
18.3. Weakly Typed 182

2. CHAPTER
NINETEEN
OPERATORS
In this chapter we will introduce the operators provided by the Ring programming langauge.
19.1 Arithmetic Operators
The next table presents all of the arithmetic operators provided by the Ring language. Assume variable X=50 and
variable Y=10 then:
Operator Description Example Result
+ Add x+y 60
- Subtract x-y 40
* Multiplies x*y 500
/ Divide x/y 5
% Modulus x%y 0
++ Increment x++ 51
- - Decrement x- - 49
19.2 Relational Operators
The next table presents all of the relational operators provided by the Ring language. Assume variable X=50 and
variable Y=10 then:
Operator Description Example Result
= Equal x = y False
!= Not Equal x != y True
> Greater than x > y True
< Less than x < y False
>= Greater or Equal x >= y True
<= Less than or Equal x <= y False
19.3 Logical Operators
The next table presents all of the logical operators provided by the Ring language. Assume variable X=True and
variable Y=False then:
Operator Description Example Result
and Logical AND x and y False
or Logical OR x or y True
not Logical Not not x False
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Another style
Operator Description Example Result
&& Logical AND x && y False
|| Logical OR x || y True
! Logical Not ! x False
19.4 Bitwise Operators
The next table presents all of the bitwise operators provided by the Ring language. Assume variable X=8 and variable
Y=2 then:
Operator Description Example Result
& Binary AND x & y 0
| Binary OR x | y 10
^ Binary XOR x ^ y 10
~ Binary Ones Complement ~x -9
<< Binary Left Shift x << y 32
>> Binary Right Shift x >> y 2
19.5 Assignment Operators
The next table presents all of the assignment operators provided by the Ring language.
Assume variable X=8 then:
Operator Description Example Result
= Assignment x = 10 x=10
+= Add AND assignment x += 5 x=13
-= Subtract AND assignment x -= 3 x=5
*= Multiply AND assignment x *= 2 x=16
/= Divide AND assignment x /= 3 x=2.67
%= Modulus AND assignment x %= 2 x=0
<<= Left shift AND assignment x <<= 2 x=32
>>= Right shift AND assignment x >>= 2 x=2
&= Bitwise AND assignment x &= 4 x=0
|= Bitwise OR and assignment x |= 3 x=11
^= Bitwise XOR and assignment x ^= 4 x=12
19.6 Misc Operators
Operator Description
:literal using : before identifier mean literal
Start:End create list contains items from start to end
[list items] define list items
list[index] access list item
obj.name using the dot operator to access object members (attributes/methods).
obj {stmts} execute statements with direct access to object attributes & methods
func(para,...) call function using parameters separated by comma
? <expr> Print expression then new line
19.4. Bitwise Operators 184

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19.7 Operators Precedence
The next table present operators from higher precedence (Evaluated first) to lower precedence.
Operator
. [] () {}
- ~ :Literal [list items]
++ - -
Start:End
* / %
+ -
<< >>
&
| ^
< > <= >=
= !=
not !
and or && ||
Assignment = += -= *= /= %=>>= <<= &= ^= |=
?
Example:
See 3+5*4 # prints 23
19.7. Operators Precedence 185

5. CHAPTER
TWENTY
CONTROL STRUCTURES - FIRST STYLE
In this chapter we are going to learn about the control structures provided by the Ring programming language.
20.1 Branching
• If Statement
Syntax:
if Expression
Block of statements
but Expression
Block of statements
else
Block of statements
ok
Example:
see "
Main Menu
---------
(1) Say Hello
(2) About
(3) Exit
" give nOption
if nOption = 1 see "Enter your name : " give name see "Hello " + name + nl
but nOption = 2 see "Sample : using if statement" + nl
but nOption = 3 bye
else see "bad option..." + nl
ok
• Switch Statement
Syntax:
switch Expression
on Expression
Block of statements
other
Block of statements
off
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Example:
See "
Main Menu
---------
(1) Say Hello
(2) About
(3) Exit
" Give nOption
Switch nOption
On 1 See "Enter your name : " Give name See "Hello " + name + nl
On 2 See "Sample : using switch statement" + nl
On 3 Bye
Other See "bad option..." + nl
Off
20.2 Looping
• While Loop
Syntax:
while Expression
Block of statements
end
Example:
While True
See "
Main Menu
---------
(1) Say Hello
(2) About
(3) Exit
" Give nOption
Switch nOption
On 1
See "Enter your name : "
Give name
See "Hello " + name + nl
On 2
See "Sample : using while loop" + nl
On 3
Bye
Other
See "bad option..." + nl
Off
End
• For Loop
Syntax:
20.2. Looping 187

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for identifier=expression to expression [step expression]
Block of statements
next
Example:
# print numbers from 1 to 10
for x = 1 to 10 see x + nl next
Example:
# Dynamic loop
See "Start : " give nStart
See "End : " give nEnd
See "Step : " give nStep
For x = nStart to nEnd Step nStep
see x + nl
Next
Example:
# print even numbers from 0 to 10
for x = 0 to 10 step 2
see x + nl
next
Example:
# print even numbers from 10 to 0
for x = 10 to 0 step -2
see x + nl
next
• For in Loop
Syntax:
for identifier in List/String [step expression]
Block of statements
next
Example:
aList = 1:10 # create list contains numbers from 1 to 10
for x in aList see x + nl next # print numbers from 1 to 10
20.3 Using The Step option with For in
We can use the Step option with For in to skip number of items in each iteration
Example:
aList = 1:10 # create list contains numbers from 1 to 10
# print odd items inside the list
for x in aList step 2
see x + nl
next
20.3. Using The Step option with For in 188

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20.4 Using For in to modify lists
When we use (For in) we get items by reference.
This means that we can read/edit items inside the loop.
Example:
aList = 1:5 # create list contains numbers from 1 to 5
# replace list numbers with strings
for x in aList
switch x
on 1 x = "one"
on 2 x = "two"
on 3 x = "three"
on 4 x = "four"
on 5 x = "five"
off
next
see aList # print the list items
20.5 Do Again Loop
Syntax:
do
Block of statements
again expression
Example:
x = 1
do
see x + nl
x++
again x <= 10
20.6 Exit Command
Used to go outside one or more of loops.
Syntax:
exit [expression] # inside loop
Example:
for x = 1 to 10
see x + nl
if x = 5 exit ok
next
20.4. Using For in to modify lists 189

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20.7 Exit from two loops
The next example presents how to use the exit command to exit from two loops in one jump.
Example:
for x = 1 to 10
for y = 1 to 10
see "x=" + x + " y=" + y + nl
if x = 3 and y = 5
exit 2 # exit from 2 loops
ok
next
next
20.8 Loop Command
Used to jump to the next iteration in the loop.
Syntax:
loop [expression] # inside loop
Example:
for x = 1 to 10
if x = 3
see "Number Three" + nl
loop
ok
see x + nl
next
20.9 Exit/Loop inside sub functions
While we are inside a loop, we can call a function then use the exit and/or loop command inside that function and the
command will work on the outer loop.
Example:
# print numbers from 1 to 10 except number 5.
for x = 1 to 10
ignore(x,5)
see x + nl
next
func ignore x,y
if x = y
loop
ok
20.7. Exit from two loops 190

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20.10 Short-circuit evaluation
The logical operators and/or follow the short-circuit evaluation.
If the first argument of the AND operator is zero, then there is no need to evaluate the second argument and the result
will be zero.
If the first argument of the OR operator is one, then there is no need to evaluate the second argument and the result
will be one.
Example:
/* output
** nice
** nice
** great
*/
x = 0 y = 10
if (x = 0 and nice()) and (y = 10 and nice())
see "great" + nl
ok
func nice see "nice" + nl return 1
Example:
# No output
x = 0 y = 10
if (x = 1 and nice()) and (y = 10 and nice())
see "great" + nl
ok
func nice see "nice" + nl return 1
Example:
/* output
** nice
** great
*/
x = 0 y = 10
if (x = 0 and nice()) or (y = 10 and nice())
see "great" + nl
ok
func nice see "nice" + nl return 1
20.11 Comments about evaluation
• True, False, nl & NULL are variables defined by the language
• True = 1
20.10. Short-circuit evaluation 191