Scilab for Real Dummies

Programming pitfalls
(4/4): the endless loop
I have several times mentioned
the risk of creating an endless
loop, so let’s look at this little
beast
When you execute the script you
have to crash the program to stop
it. The easiest way is to press the
Close button on the Console and
then reload Scilab
Why does the loop not end?
Because we die from old age
before the variable n by chance
gets exactly the value 0.5
// endless_loop.sce
// Demonstrates an endless loop. /
// Execution ends only by crashing /
// the program (click on the Close /
// button (X) on the Console) /
n = .1;
dt = getdate();
rand('seed',1000*dt(9) + dt(10));
while n ~=0.5;
n = rand(0,'normal');
end;
disp(n)
Have you forgotten
about seeding rand
functions? If so, go back
to Ex 1-3 (lotto draw)