do-while
(PHP 4, PHP 5, PHP 7)
do-while loops are very similar to
while loops, except the truth expression is
checked at the end of each iteration instead of in the beginning.
The main difference from regular while loops is
that the first iteration of a do-while loop is
guaranteed to run (the truth expression is only checked at the end
of the iteration), whereas it may not necessarily run with a
regular while loop (the truth expression is
checked at the beginning of each iteration, if it evaluates to
FALSE
right from the beginning, the loop
execution would end immediately).
There is just one syntax for do-while loops:
The above loop would run one time exactly, since after the first
iteration, when truth expression is checked, it evaluates to
FALSE
($i is not bigger than 0) and the loop
execution ends.
Advanced C users may be familiar with a different usage of the
do-while loop, to allow stopping execution in
the middle of code blocks, by encapsulating them with
do-while (0), and using the break
statement. The following code fragment demonstrates this:
Don't worry if you don't understand this right away or at all.
You can code scripts and even powerful scripts without using this
'feature'.
Since PHP 5.3.0, it is possible to use
goto
operator instead of this hack.
Martin ¶4 years ago
Do-while loops can also be used inside other loops, for example:
<?php
$numbers = array();
$array_size = 10;
for ($i=0;$i<$array_size;$i++) {
do {
$random = rand(1,1000);
} while (($random % 2) == 1);
$numbers[] = $random;
}
asort($numbers);
echo '<pre>';
print_r($numbers);
echo '</pre>';
?>
jayreardon at gmail dot com ¶12 years ago
There is one major difference you should be aware of when using the do--while loop vs. using a simple while loop: And that is when the check condition is made.
In a do--while loop, the test condition evaluation is at the end of the loop. This means that the code inside of the loop will iterate once through before the condition is ever evaluated. This is ideal for tasks that need to execute once before a test is made to continue, such as test that is dependant upon the results of the loop.
Conversely, a plain while loop evaluates the test condition at the begining of the loop before any execution in the loop block is ever made. If for some reason your test condition evaluates to false at the very start of the loop, none of the code inside your loop will be executed.
jaysherby at gmail dot com ¶3 years ago
The last example on this page is simply abuse of the `break` keyword. Also, the suggestion to use `goto` if you don't understand the abuse of `break` is unsettling. (See the manual page for `goto` for more than enough reasons not to use it.)
The final example is generally better expressed using a typical if-else statement.
<?php
if ($i < 5) {
echo "i is not big enough";
} else {
$i *= $factor;
if ($i >= $minimum_limit) {
echo "i is ok";
}
}
?>
This version is easier to read and understand. And arguments for code golf are invalid as well as this version is 3 lines shorter.
In conclusion, although you can certainly write code that abuses the `break` keyword, you shouldn't in practice. Keep the code easy to read and understand for whoever inherits your code. And remember, code is for humans not computers.
fuhse at data-quest dot de ¶2 years ago
What actually surprised me: There is no alternative-syntax or template syntax for a do-while-loop.
So you can write
<?php
while ($a < 10) :
$a++;
endwhile;
?>
But this won't work:
<?php
do :
$a++
while ($a <= 10);
?>
andrew at NOSPAM dot devohive dot com ¶11 years ago
I'm guilty of writing constructs without curly braces sometimes... writing the do--while seemed a bit odd without the curly braces ({ and }), but just so everyone is aware of how this is written with a do--while...
a normal while:
<?php
while ( $isValid ) $isValid = doSomething($input);
?>
a do--while:
<?php
do $isValid = doSomething($input);
while ( $isValid );
?>
Also, a practical example of when to use a do--while when a simple while just won't do (lol)... copying multiple 2nd level nodes from one document to another using the DOM XML extension
<?php
$fileDoc = domxml_open_file('example.xml'); $fileRoot = $fileDoc->document_element();
$newDoc = domxml_new_doc('1.0'); $newRoot = $newDoc->create_element('rootnode');
$newRoot = $newDoc->append_child($newRoot); $child = $fileRoot->first_child(); do $newRoot->append_child($child->clone_node(true)); while ( $child = $child->next_sibling() ); ?>
iamjeffjack at gmail dot com ¶1 year ago
If you put multiple conditions in the while check, a do-while loop checks these conditions in order and runs again once it encounters a condition that returns true. This can be helpful to know when troubleshooting why a do-while loop isn't finishing. An (illustrative-only) example:
<?php
$numberOne = 0;
do {
echo $numberOne;
$numberOne++;
} while( $numberOne < 5 || incrementNumberTwo() );
function incrementNumberTwo() {
echo "function incrementNumberTwo called";
return false;
}
?>
shaida dot mca at gmail dot com ¶9 years ago
Example of Do while :-
<?php
$i = 0;
echo 'This code will run at least once because i default value is 0.<br/>';
do {
echo 'i value is ' . $i . ', so code block will run. <br/>';
++$i;
} while ($i < 10);
?>