While loops

While loops are similar to for loops, but have less functionality. A while loop continues executing the while block as long as the condition in the while remains true. For example, the following code will execute exactly ten times:

int n = 0;
while (n < 10) {
    n++;
}

While loops can also execute infinitely if a condition is given which always evaluates as true (non-zero):

while (1) {
   /* do something */
}

Loop directives

There are two important loop directives that are used in conjunction with all loop types in C - the break and continue directives.

The break directive halts a loop after ten loops, even though the while loop never finishes:

int n = 0;
while (1) {
    n++;
    if (n == 10) {
        break;
    }
}

In the following code, the continue directive causes the printf command to be skipped, so that only even numbers are printed out:

int n = 0;
while (n < 10) {
    n++;

    /* check that n is odd */
    if (n % 2 == 1) {
        /* go back to the start of the while block */
        continue;
    }

    /* we reach this code only if n is even */
    printf("The number %d is even.\n", n);
}

Exercise

The array variable consists of a sequence of ten numbers. Inside the while loop, you must write two if conditions, which change the flow of the loop in the following manner (without changing the printf command):

• If the current number which is about to printed is less than 5, don't print it.
• If the current number which is about to printed is greater than 10, don't print it and stop the loop.

Notice that if you do not advance the iterator variable i and use the continue derivative, you will get stuck in an infinite loop.