The forbidden GOTO

[LPG]

Does anyone else use goto to write spaghetti programs like me?

[Dr_Davenstein]

That's all hogwash really. Goto wouldn't even be there if you weren't supposed to use it!  Of course, abuse is another story. A good rule of thumb is don't use goto to move backwards in your program, unless it's just a short hop, if you know what I mean.

[Tia]

I was taught not to use it but I really see no problem with using it.

[wildcard]

Using or not using GOTO is an age old debate. Simply put its best to not use it if you can as using it can make your program code a little harder to read but otherwise use it in small doses. Just remember there is usually more than one way to do code something.

[LPG]

one of my spaghetti programs can be downloaded here:
http://practicalqbprogs.googlepages.com/peanuts

[zoasterboy]

Jack of The Qbasic Station wrote a good article on this a while ago:

http://www.qbasicstation.com/index.php?c=t_article&a=10

[Ralph]

Good reference, Zoasterboy!  I'm in agreement with it, too. 

One instance where I use the GOTO is when I am trouble shooting.  I'll enter this at the beginning of the code:

Code:

TEST = 0
TEST = 1
INPUT1 = 124 'just use any default value for the first INPUT statement
INPUT2 = 25   'default value for second INPUT statement
'etc.

Then, whenever the code is supposed to receive an INPUT statement, I'll add, just before it:

Code:

IF TEST = 1 THEN GOTO SKIP1

and I'll conclude that part of code with:

Code:

SKIP1:

Now, I can run my code over and over, without having to stop and enter something at each INPUT statement, letting me quickly get to the problem(s) I am trying to find and debug. 

Once the program runs fine, I either remark out the line,
TEST = 1
which allows me to further trouble shoot easily in the future, or, if I'm very sure I will not have to do any more debugging,  I will delete both "TEST =" lines, and all the pertinent GOTO... and SKIP1:, SKIP2:, etc. labels.