For Loops
Repeating Karel Actions
We've learned that functions are a great way to reuse code. But what if we want Karel to put down 100 tennis balls? Let's take a look at the for loop!
Introducing the For Loop
When we want to repeat any of Karel's actions for a fixed number of times, then we can use a for loop. This will allow us to have a bit of code run any number of times that we need.
The structure of a for loop looks like this:
for(var i = 0; i < count; i++) {
/* code to execute count times */
}
For now, all you need is to set the value of the variable, count
. What this code says is, "Repeat the code between the curly braces, count number of times."
Calling the move(); command is the same, but using a For loop is much easier:
move();
move();
move();
move();
move();
is equal to:
for(var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
move();
}
So if you want to repeat commands for a fixed number of times, a for loop will be your new best friend.
For Loop Example
So now that we've learned the basics of a for loop, how do we put down five tennis balls?
for(var i = 0; i < 5; i++){
putBall();
}