How to Use Bash Continue with “for” Loop [9 Examples]

In Bash scripting, the loop iterates over a list. To skip any specific iteration entity, use the continue statement. The continue statement skips the current iteration without executing subsequent commands and jumps to the next iteration. Here, I will explore how to skip the iteration entity in the bash loop using the continue statement.

The Bash Continue Statement

The continue statement in bash skips the current iteration entity and jumps to the next iteration. The loop iterates through a list of items. Integrating the continue statement with it allows one to skip a specific iteration and move to the next iteration.

The syntax of the continue statement:

for iteration_variable in list
do
    if [ condition_to_be_checked ]
    then
    continue
    fi
done

The if [ condition_to_be_checked ] checks for a specific condition to check. If the condition is true, it executes the continue command.

The exact syntax goes for the break statement.

9 Examples of Using Continue Statement in Bash Loop

Bash loop with the continue command can iterate through only the desired entity from the iteration list and search for a specific file type. Here, I have listed some of these.

1. Using Continue Statement in “for” Loop

The for loop iterates over a predefined list. To skip any specific item from that list, use the continue statement. Here is a bash script that will find the even numbers from a list:

#!/bin/bash
for a in {1..20}; do
    if [[ $(( $a % 2 )) -ne 0 ]]; then
        continue
    fi
    echo "Even: $a"
done

2. Command Substitution

Command substitution means using the output of a command on another command. It eases the approach to using the output of different commands in the script cause it removes the necessity of defining extra variables. Here is a bash script to print all files:

#!/bin/bash
for f in $(ls); do
    if [ ! -f $f ]; then
        continue
    fi
    echo "Content: $f"
done

3. Wildcard Pattern

The wildcard pattern is used to find a match. It enables users to search for a specific pattern. Here is a bash script to search for text files inside the current directory:

#!/bin/bash
for f in *.txt; do
    if [ ! -f $f ]; then
        continue
    fi
    echo "Text File: $f"
done

4. Using Continue Statement with an Array

The array contains a combination of characters that possess vital information or data. For loop can iterate over each array element of the array and execute as a set of commands including the continue statement for each iteration entity. Here is a bash script to print an array list on the terminal except for an element:

#!/bin/bash
a=(10 20 30 40 50)
for c in "${a[@]}"; do
    if [ $c -eq 30 ]; then
        continue
    fi
    echo "Number: $c"
done

5. Using Case Statement

The case statement checks various conditions and makes decisions accordingly for each condition. It is useful when working with multiple conditions at a time. Here is a bash script to search for a specific iteration entity:

#!/bin/bash
for c in 10 20 30 40 50; do
    case $c in
    30)
        continue
        ;;
    esac
    echo "Iteration $c"
done

6. Using Function

The function is a group name where a set of commands is grouped to perform a specific task. It helps to break down a giant script into task-specified small modules. Here is a bash script using a continue statement with a function:

#!/bin/bash
function is_even() {
    if [ $(($1 % 2)) -eq 0 ]; then
        return 0
    else
        return 1
    fi
}
for a in {1..5}; do
    if is_even $a; then
        continue
    fi
echo "Odd number: $a"
done

7. The Continue Statement in “until” Loop

The until loop executes a block of commands as long as a specified condition is false. Here is a bash script using the continue statement in the until loop:

#!/bin/bash
a=90
until [[ $a -gt 100  ]]
do
    if [[ $a -eq 95  ]]
    then
        echo “Number $a!”
        ((a++))
        continue
    fi
    echo $a
    ((a++))
done

8. The Continue Statement in “select” Loop

The select loop offers users a set of menus to choose from. Here is a bash script for using the continue statement in the select loop:

#!/bin/bash
PS3="Enter a number: "
select a in 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
do
    if [[ $REPLY -eq 9 ]]
    then
        echo "Number $a!"
        continue
    fi
    echo "Selected number: $a"
done

9. Using Continue Statement in Nested Loop

A nested loop means placing one loop inside another loop. In this approach, the loops can be of any type. Here is a bash script for using a continue statement in a nested loop:

#!/bin/bash
for i in {5..9}
do
    for j in {5..9}
    do
        if [[ $i -eq $j ]]
        then
            echo "$i = $j"
            continue 2
        fi
        echo "$i =/= $j"
    done
done
echo “Done!”

Using “for” Loop with a Break Statement

The break statement stops the execution of a loop and jumps to the subsequent commands after the loop. Here is a bash script that terminates the for-loop execution for a specific iteration item:

#!/bin/bash
n=("Albe" "Stane" "Ngidi" "Mark")
for a in ${n[@]}
do
    echo $a
    if [ $a = "Ngidi" ]
    then
       break
    fi
done

Exiting a Loop Based on User Input

Put the break command inside an if condition to control the loop according to user input. Here is a bash script to print a series of numbers using a for loop and exit the loop according to the user input:

#!/bin/bash
echo "Enter number: "
read n
for ((a=1 ; a <= n; a++)); do
    echo $a
    if [ $n -eq 0 ]
    then
        break
    fi
done

Precaution of Using the Continue Statement

The purpose of the continue statement is to skip the remaining code within a loop for the current iteration and jump to the next iteration. And to avoid unnecessary processing efficiently. A wrong placement of the continue statement might skip the entire loop, so be careful before implementing it into the Bash script. To be sure about the execution of the continue statement, put a comment just before the continue statement.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the continue statement and the break statement are two loop control statements to regulate the loop execution. This statement helps users skip a specific iteration entity and terminate a loop forcefully. This article will help programmers implement the continue and break statements correctly for efficient management.

People Also Ask

How do I continue a loop in Bash?

To continue a loop in Bash, use the continue statement. It will skip the current iteration and move to the next iteration.

How do you stop a script in a loop in Bash?

To stop a script in a loop in Bash, press CTRL+C. It will immediately generate an interrupt signal and send it to the program to stop the execution of a loop inside the bash script.

How do you create an infinite loop in Bash?

To create a loop in bash, select any type of loop from for loop, while loop, until loop, then set the loop condition as accurate. It will repeatedly execute a command inside the loop until something explicitly stops it.

Can you pause a bash script?

Yes, you can pause a bash script. To pause a bash script, use the sleep command and a specified second you want to pause. For example, sleep 5 will pause the script for 5 seconds.

How to Exit from a Loop in Bash?

To exit from a loop in Bash, use the break command. The break command is a control statement that terminates a loop forcefully and jumps to the next part of the program after the loop. It is a solution when the loop can not be controlled with a loop condition.

What if break is not used?

Without the break command, the loop can not be interrupted forcefully. The loop will continue to iterate through all list elements and will not stop before any error or interruption occurs.

Is “continue” Statement Really Continuing?

The continue statement does not continue to command execution. It quickly skips the subsequent commands after the continue statement and jumps to the next iteration.

Related Articles

• 10 Common Bash “for” Loop Examples [Basic to Intermediate]
• How to Iterate Through List Using “for” Loop in Bash
• How to Use Bash “for” Loop with Variable [12 Examples]
• Bash Increment and Decrement Variable in “for” Loop
• How to Use Bash Parallel “for” Loop [7 Examples]
• How to Loop Through Array Using “for” Loop in Bash
• How to Use Bash “for” Loop with Range [5 Methods]
• How to Use Bash “for” Loop with “seq” Command [10 Examples]
• How to Use “for” Loop in Bash Files [9 Practical Examples]
• Usage of “for” Loop in Bash Directory [5 Examples]
• How to Use “for” Loop in One Line in Bash [7 Examples]
• How to Use Nested “for” Loop in Bash [7 Examples]
• How to Create Infinite Loop in Bash [7 Cases]

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