Choices - in COBOL and Java

*>COBOL has no exact equivalent syntax to x ? y : z
 
if age < 20
   move "What's up?" to greeting
else
   move "Hello" to greeting
end-if
  
if x not = 100 and y < 5
   multiply 5 by x
   multiply 2 by y
end-if
 
*> evaluate is preferred in COBOL rather than if/else if/else
evaluate x
  when > 5
    multiply y by x
  when 5
    add y to x
  when < 10
    subtract y from x
  when other
    divide y into x
end-evaluate
  
evaluate color   *> can be any type
   when "torquoise"
   when "red"
      add 1 to r
   when "blue"
      add 1 to b
   when "green"
      add 1 to g
   when other
      add 1 to other-color
end-evaluate  

greeting = age < 20 ? "What's up?" : "Hello";
	 
// Good practice is that all consequents are enclosed in {}
// although optional if 1 line
if (age < 20)
   greeting = "What's up?";
else
   greeting = "Hello";
	 
// Multiple statements must be enclosed in {}
if (x != 100 && y < 5) 
{   
   x *= 5;
   y *= 2;
}
	 
if (x > 5) 
{
   x *= y; 
}
else if (x == 5) 
{
   x += y; 
}
else if (x < 10) 
{
   x -= y; 
}
else
{ 
   x /= y;
}
	 

switch (color)     
{
  case "turquoise":
  case "red":    
	  r++;    
  	  break; 
  case "blue":   
	  b++;    
	  break;
  case "green":  
	  g++;    
	  break;
  default:    
	  other++;   
	  break;      
}

Portions of these examples were produced by Dr. Frank McCown, Harding University Computer Science Dept, and are licensed under a Creative Commons License.