Syntax

Jumps to a label. A backward jump repeats code, a forward jump skips code and can leave loops.

GOTO <label>
IF <condition> THEN GOTO <label> [ELSE GOTO <label>]
<label>:

Also written : label

Parts

<label>A name followed by :, alone at the start of its line. Letters, digits and _; case does not matter.
<condition>The test of a one-line IF that guards the jump.

Good to know

  • Allowed: a backward jump to a label at the same block level, a forward jump to a label later in the same block or in an enclosing block, and a jump from a subroutine back to a label of the main program, which restarts from there.
  • Refused: a jump into a block (IF, FOR, WHILE…) from outside, or backward from inside a block to a label outside it: "GOTO … jumps across block boundaries".
  • Not caught by the compiler, and broken when the program runs: two forward jumps to two different labels in the same block (including IF c THEN GOTO a ELSE GOTO b), a restart jump written on one line in a subroutine, and a GOTO in the code after LOOP.
  • A label cannot be named like a catalogue command: Second: is refused. Two labels with the same name are a compile error: "Duplicate BASIC label".
  • A : right after the first word of a line always declares a label. start: x = 1 is the label start with x = 1 as its body.
  • Line numbers and ON … GOTO are not supported. Prefer loops, EXIT and CONTINUE: GOTO is the construct with the most limits.

Example

FOR i = 1 TO 10  IF i * 3 > 7 THEN GOTO foundNEXTConsole("not found")found:Console("found " + Str(i))   ' found 3
In the manual : Control flow

See also