Statements

This page covers syntax, usage patterns, and practical examples for each statement type used in Simple Issue Language (SIL™).

Statements in SIL provide a convenient method to create conditional logic (if-else, switch) and repetitive operations (for, while, do-while) with a syntax similar to C, C++, and Java.

Statements enable Power Suite users to create sophisticated script logic while maintaining code readability.

For each statement, you’ll find a description of its usage in SIL, syntax, and examples

If-else statement

The if-else statement enables conditional execution of code blocks, allowing you to create branching logic based on specific conditions.

Contents: 1 If-else statement 2 For statement 3 While statement 4 Do-while statement 5 Switch statement 6 Break statement 7 Continue statement 8 Best practices for using statements in SIL 9 See also

Contents: 1 If-else statement 2 For statement 3 While statement 4 Do-while statement 5 Switch statement 6 Break statement 7 Continue statement 8 Best practices for using statements in SIL 9 See also

Syntax

if (condition) {
    Instruction1;
    ...          //Instructions when condition is true
    InstructionN;
} else if {
    Instruction1:
    ...          //Instructions when condition is true
    InstructionN;
} else {
    Instruction1:
    ...          //Instructions when both condition are false
    InstructionN;
}

The else branch can be omitted.

Basic if-else example

if(issueType == "Bug" && environment == "Production") {
    priority = "Highest";
} else if {issueType == "Bug" && environment == "Development") {
    priority = "Medium";
} else {
    priority = "Low";
}

Example description

This example checks the following conditions in a Jira issue:

If the issue type is a Bug and the environment is Production, the issue receives Highest priority.
If the conditions are not met (else), the check continues with the second set of conditions.
If the issue type is a Bug and the environment is Development, the issue receives Medium priority.
If this second condition is not met either (else), issues for all other combinations are set to Low priority.

Complex if-else example

if (issueType == "Bug" && severity == "Critical" && impactedUsers > 100) {
    priority = "Highest";
    assignToTeam = "ProductionSupport";
    notifyStakeholders = true;
} else if ((issueType == "Bug" && severity == "Major") || 
           (issueType == "Security" && environment == "Production")) {
    priority = "High";
    assignToTeam = "DevelopmentTeam";
    notifyStakeholders = impactedUsers > 50;
} else if (issueType == "Enhancement" && businessValue == "High" && 
           implementationEffort == "Low") {
    priority = "Medium";
    assignToTeam = "DevelopmentTeam";
    notifyStakeholders = false;
} else {
    priority = "Low";
    assignToTeam = "Backlog";
    notifyStakeholders = false;
}

Example description

This example code implements a comprehensive issue triage system that:

Sets Highest priority for critical bugs affecting many users.
Assigns High priority to major bugs and production security issues.
Prioritizes high-value, low-effort enhancements as Medium.
Routes issues to appropriate teams and manages stakeholder notifications.
Defaults all other cases to Low priority in the backlog.

For statement

The for statement provides a compact way to iterate over a range of values. It is often referred to as the for loop statement, because it repeatedly loops until a particular condition is satisfied.

In SIL, the for statement provides two primary iteration methods:

standard form: simply for
foreach form

Standard form

Syntax

For the standard form, the <init> can be an attribution of an already defined variable or a definition for a new variable.

Example

Example description

This example demonstrates a basic iteration:

Initializes a counter i to 0.
Continues looping while i is less than 10.
Increments i by 1 in each iteration.
Prints each number from 0 to 9 (total 10 numbers) in the SIL Manager output console.

Foreach form

Syntax

Example

Example description

This foreach loop iterates through a collection of watchers of a specific issue and prints the list of the watchers:

Automatically iterates through each element in the watchers array.
Assigns each element to the user variable in each iteration.
Prints the name of each watcher in the SIL Manager output console.

While statement

The while statement provides support for conditional repetitive execution of a code block. It evaluates the condition first:

If the condition is true, the instructions in the body (the loop) is executed.
If the condition is false from the start, the loop body is never executed.

Syntax

Example

Example description

This while loop in this example demonstrates how to build a collection incrementally:

Starts with i as 1.
Continues looping while i is less than or equal to 3.
In each iteration, adds a new element to multisel array
Element is created by concatenating "value" with the current value of i.
After completion, multisel will contain ["value1", "value2", "value"].

Do-while statement

The do-while statement is similar to the while statement except that it guarantees at least one execution of its code block before evaluating the termination condition. Even if the condition is false, the instructions will still be evaluated once.

Syntax

Example

Example description

This example do-while loop populates a people array, ensuring at least one processing of the loop body:

Starts with i as 1.
Adds watchers to the people array from index 1.
Increments i after each iteration.
Continues until i is no longer less than 5.

Switch statement

The switch statement provides a structured mechanism for conditional execution based on the value of a specific variable.

It accepts both number and string variables.
Evaluates the input variable against multiple predefined case values.
Executes the first matching case's code block.
Continues executing subsequent cases unless a break statement is used.
Supports specific handling for unmatched cases through the default branch.

Syntax

Example 1: Switch with numbers (with break statements and default branch)

Example 2: Switch with string matching

Examples description

In both examples, cases are evaluated from top to bottom. Only equal values trigger case execution.

The break statement terminates the switch block's execution after a case is handled, preventing unintended fallthrough to subsequent cases. The second example demonstrates an intentional fallthrough. For additional information about the break statement, refer to the Break statement section.
The default branch functions as an essential catch-all mechanism within the switch statement. It executes when the input value doesn't match any of the defined case values, providing a way to handle unexpected or unspecified inputs. While optional, including a default branch is considered best practice as it ensures comprehensive handling of all possible input values and helps prevent undefined behavior.

Break statement

The break statement serves two distinct control flow purposes:

Loop termination: When used within loops (for, while, do-while), the break statement provides immediate termination of the entire loop execution, transferring control to the first statement following the loop block. This enables early exit from loops based on specific conditions.
Switch exit: Within switch statements, break statements terminate the switch block execution, preventing fallthrough to subsequent cases and transferring control to the code following the switch structure.

Example

Continue statement

The continue statement is used inside a loop (for, while). It provides a mechanism to skip the remaining code within the current loop iteration, immediately jumping to the loop’s next iteration.

Example

Best practices for using statements in SIL

Following some simple best practices can prevent common pitfalls and ensure your code is maintainable, reliable, and efficient.

General

Keep statement blocks concise and focused.
Avoid mixing too many different control structures.
Use meaningful variable names that indicate purpose.
Add comments for complex logic or business rules.
Test thoroughly.
Include appropriate error-handling mechanisms. For example, validate inputs before processing, log or report errors.
Keep your code well-organized by grouping related control structures.
Maintain consistent indentation and formatting.
Document complex control flow patterns.

If-else statements

Keep conditions simple and readable.
For multiple conditions, consider using switch statements instead.
Avoid deeply-nested if statements (maximum 3-4 levels).
Consider extracting complex conditions into separate boolean functions.

Switch statements

Always include a default case for error handling.
Use break statements consistently to prevent unintended fallthrough.
Document intentional fallthrough cases with comments.
Consider switch instead of if-else when comparing a single variable against multiple values.

For loops

When the iteration count is known, use the standard form for loops.
When processing arrays, preferably use for each loops.
Initialize variables properly before the loop.
Avoid modifying loop variables inside the loop body.

While loops

Include safeguards against infinite loops.
Ensure loop conditions can eventually become false.
Initialize all variables before the loop.
Validate loop variables have been properly updated.
Use while when iteration count is unknown.
Add timeout conditions for time-sensitive operations.

Do-while loops

Use when code must execute at least once. Best suited for validation scenarios.
Keep the loop body focused on a single task.
Ensure the condition can be met within the loop body.

Break statements

Use to exit loops early when a condition is met.
Avoid using multiple breaks in a single loop.
Document the exit condition clearly.
Consider extracting complex logic into separate functions.

Continue statement

Use to skip iterations based on specific conditions.
Place continue statements early in the loop body.
Avoid multiple continue statements in a single loop.
Ensure all necessary variables are updated before continue.

Statements

If-else statement

Syntax

Basic if-else example

Example description

Complex if-else example

Example description

For statement

Standard form

Syntax

Example

Example description

Foreach form

Syntax

Example

Example description

While statement

Syntax

Example

Example description

Do-while statement

Syntax

Example

Example description

Switch statement

Syntax

Example 1: Switch with numbers (with break statements and default branch)

Example 2: Switch with string matching

Examples description

Break statement

Example

Continue statement

Example

Best practices for using statements in SIL

General

If-else statements

Switch statements

For loops

While loops

Do-while loops

Break statements

Continue statement

See also