Is there ever a need for a “do {…} while ( )” loop?

Question

Bjarne Stroustrup (C++ creator) once said that he avoids \"do/while\" loops, and prefers to write the code in terms of a \"while\" loop instead. [See quote below.]

S

Answer 1

In our coding conventions

• if / while / ... conditions don't have side effects and
• varibles must be initialized.

So we have almost never a do {} while(xx) Because:

int main() {
    char c;

    do {
        printf("enter a number");
        scanf("%c", &c);

    } while (c < '0' ||  c > '9'); 
}

is rewritten in:

int main() {
    char c(0);
    while (c < '0' ||  c > '9');  {
        printf("enter a number");
        scanf("%c", &c);
    } 
}

and

Handle handle;
Params params;
if( ( handle = FindFirstFile( params ) ) != Error ) {
   do {
      process( params ); //process found file
   } while( ( handle = FindNextFile( params ) ) != Error ) );
}

is rewritten in:

Params params(xxx);
Handle handle = FindFirstFile( params );
while( handle!=Error ) {
    process( params ); //process found file
    handle = FindNextFile( params );
}