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Q119900: INFO: Understanding the RETURN Command

Article: Q119900
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): MACINTOSH:2.5x; MS-DOS:2.0,2.5x,2.6,2.6a; UNIX:2.6; WINDOWS:2.5x,2.6,2.6a,3.0,5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode
Last Modified: 30-DEC-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, versions 3.0, 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for MS-DOS, versions 2.0, 2.5x, 2.6, 2.6a 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5x, 2.6, 2.6a 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.5x 
- Microsoft FoxPro for UNIX, version 2.6 
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SUMMARY
=======

The RETURN command provides a great deal of flexibility over program control.
RETURN terminates execution of a program, procedure, or function. Depending on
how RETURN is used, control is returned to the calling program, the
highest-level calling program, another program, or the Command window. The
sample code below illustrates the power of the RETURN command.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Enter the following code in a program call RETTEST.PRG:


  PARAMETER x  && line 1

  ON ERROR DO myErr
  DO A
  WAIT WINDOW 'In master'   && line 5

  ON ERROR

  PROCEDURE A
  DO B
  WAIT WINDOW 'In A'   && line 11

  PROCEDURE B
  x=testing
  WAIT WINDOW 'In B'  && line 15

  PROCEDURE myErr
  DO CASE

  CASE x = 'master' RETURN TO MASTER CASE EMPTY(x) RETURN OTHERWISE RETURN TO
  &x

  ENDCASE


To demonstrate the capabilities of the RETURN command, try the following three
invocations of the above program from the Command window.

- The following command returns to line 5 without executing lines 11 or 15: DO
  rettest WITH "master"

- The following command returns to line 11 without executing line 15: DO
  rettest WITH "A"

- The following command returns to line 15, the line of code immediately
  following the line that generated the error: DO rettest WITH ""

The program is so short that it may be helpful to use the Trace window and step
through the code. For additional information about using the Trace window, see
the "Debugging" chapter of the "Developer's Guide" and the "Program Menu"
chapter of the "User's Guide."

REFERENCES
==========

FoxPro "Language Reference"

Additional query words: VFoxWin FoxUnix FoxMac FoxDos FoxWin 2.50 2.50a 2.50b 2.50c

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbcode 
Technology        : kbHWMAC kbOSMAC kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbFoxPro200DOS kbFoxPro260DOS kbFoxPro260aDOS kbFoxPro260UNIX kbFoxPro260 kbFoxPro260a kbVFP300 kbVFP500 kbVFP600
Version           : MACINTOSH:2.5x; MS-DOS:2.0,2.5x,2.6,2.6a; UNIX:2.6; WINDOWS:2.5x,2.6,2.6a,3.0,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

=============================================================================

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