Comment On Real Consultants Don't Use Loops

Loops. They're so ... well ... loopular. I mean, come on, do we really need them? Do we? If you think about it, they're nothing but crutches for the weak. Kinda like case statements or switch blocks. No, us highly-paid consultants don't need any of that. In fact, here's a perfect example of how to write PL/SQL. It's from the "professional services" division of a company that shall remain nameless. Jeff Atwood knows what good code is like.

-- #################################################################
-- Start Get Domain ID
-- #################################################################
PROCEDURE ps_getdomainid(
 domainin IN PSUSERTEMP.DOMAIN%TYPE,
  domainid_inout IN OUT DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE,
  flag_inout  IN OUT  PLS_INTEGER
) IS
  firstplace     PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  secondplace    PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  thirdplace     PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  fourthplace    PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  fifthplace     PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  sixthplace     PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  seventhplace   PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  eigthplace     PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  domainlength   PLS_INTEGER :=0;
  firststring    VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  secondstring   VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  thirdstring    VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  fourthstring   VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  fifthstring    VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  sixthstring    VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  seventhstring  VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  eigthstring    VARCHAR2(40) := NULL;
  firstchilddomainflag   PLS_INTEGER;
  secondchilddomainflag  PLS_INTEGER;
  thirdchilddomainflag   PLS_INTEGER;
  fourthchilddomainflag  PLS_INTEGER;
  fifthchilddomainflag   PLS_INTEGER;
  sixthchilddomainflag   PLS_INTEGER;
  seventhchilddomainflag PLS_INTEGER;
  eigthchilddomainflag   PLS_INTEGER;
  firstdomainid   DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
  seconddomainid  DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
  thirddomainid   DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
  fourthdomainid  DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
  fifthdomainid   DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
  sixthdomainid   DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
  seventhdomainid DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
  eigthdomainid   DRDOMAIN.ID%TYPE;
BEGIN
  domainlength := LENGTH(domainin);
  firstplace := INSTR(domainin, '|', 1, 1);
  IF firstplace != 0 THEN
    secondplace := INSTR (domainin, '|', 1, 2);
  END IF;
  IF secondplace != 0 THEN
     thirdplace := INSTR (domainin, '|', 1, 3);
  END IF;
  IF thirdplace != 0 THEN
     fourthplace := INSTR (domainin, '|', 1, 4);
  END IF;
  IF fourthplace != 0 THEN
     fifthplace := INSTR (domainin, '|', 1, 5);
  END IF;
  IF fifthplace != 0 THEN
     sixthplace := INSTR (domainin, '|', 1, 6);
  END IF;
  IF sixthplace != 0 THEN
     seventhplace := INSTR (domainin, '|', 1, 7);
  END IF;
  IF firstplace != 0 AND firstplace != domainlength THEN
     firststring := SUBSTR(domainin, 1, (firstplace-1));
  ELSIF firstplace = domainlength THEN
      firststring := SUBSTR (domainin, 1, (firstplace -1  ));
  ELSIF firstplace = 0 AND domainlength !=0 THEN
      firststring := domainin;
        GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF secondplace != 0 AND secondplace != domainlength THEN
     secondstring := SUBSTR(domainin, (firstplace+1), (secondplace - firstplace-1));
  ELSIF secondplace = domainlength THEN
      secondstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (firstplace+1), (secondplace-firstplace -1  ));
  ELSIF secondplace = 0 AND firstplace != 0 THEN
      secondstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (firstplace+1), (domainlength - firstplace));
      GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF thirdplace != 0 AND thirdplace != domainlength THEN
     thirdstring := SUBSTR(domainin, (secondplace+1), (thirdplace - secondplace -1));
  ELSIF thirdplace = domainlength THEN
      thirdstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (secondplace+1), (thirdplace-secondplace -1  ));
  ELSIF thirdplace = 0 AND secondplace != 0 THEN
      thirdstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (secondplace + 1), (domainlength - secondplace));
      GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF fourthplace != 0 AND fourthplace != domainlength THEN
    fourthstring := SUBSTR(domainin, (thirdplace+1), (fourthplace - thirdplace - 1));
  ELSIF fourthplace = domainlength THEN
        fourthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (thirdplace+1), (domainlength - thirdplace -1 ));
  ELSIF fourthplace = 0 AND thirdplace != 0 THEN
      fourthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (thirdplace + 1), (domainlength - thirdplace));
      GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF fifthplace != 0 AND fifthplace != domainlength THEN
    fifthstring := SUBSTR(domainin, (fourthplace+1), (fifthplace - fourthplace - 1));
  ELSIF fifthplace = domainlength THEN
        fifthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (fourthplace+1), (domainlength - fourthplace -1 ));
  ELSIF fifthplace = 0 AND fourthplace != 0 THEN
      fifthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (fourthplace + 1), (domainlength - fourthplace));
      GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF sixthplace != 0 AND sixthplace != domainlength THEN
    sixthstring := SUBSTR(domainin, (fifthplace+1), (sixthplace - fifthplace - 1));
  ELSIF sixthplace = domainlength THEN
        sixthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (fifthplace+1), (domainlength - fifthplace -1 ));
  ELSIF sixthplace = 0 AND fifthplace != 0 THEN
      sixthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (fifthplace + 1), (domainlength - fifthplace));
      GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF seventhplace != 0 AND seventhplace != domainlength THEN
    seventhstring := SUBSTR(domainin, (sixthplace+1), (seventhplace - sixthplace - 1));
  ELSIF seventhplace = domainlength THEN
        seventhstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (sixthplace+1), (domainlength - sixthplace -1 ));
  ELSIF seventhplace = 0 AND sixthplace != 0 THEN
      seventhstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (sixthplace + 1), (domainlength - sixthplace));
      GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF eigthplace != 0 AND eigthplace != domainlength THEN
    eigthstring := SUBSTR(domainin, (seventhplace+1), (eigthplace - seventhplace - 1));
  ELSIF eigthplace = domainlength THEN
        eigthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (seventhplace+1), (domainlength - seventhplace -1 ));
  ELSIF eigthplace = 0 AND seventhplace != 0 THEN
      eigthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (seventhplace + 1), (domainlength - seventhplace));
      GOTO get_domain_id;
  END IF;
  IF eigthplace != domainlength AND eigthplace !=0 THEN
    eigthstring := SUBSTR (domainin, (eigthplace+1), (domainlength - eigthplace ));
  END IF;
  <>
  NULL;
  IF firststring IS NOT NULL THEN
    ps_validatedomain ( firststring, firstdomainid, firstchilddomainflag);
    IF firstchilddomainflag =0 THEN
       flag_inout := 0;
       GOTO end_of_programm;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  IF secondstring IS NULL AND firstchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    domainid_inout := firstdomainid;
    flag_inout := 1;
    GOTO end_of_programm;
  ELSIF secondstring IS NOT NULL AND firstchilddomainflag =1 THEN
    ps_childdomainid(firstdomainid, secondstring, seconddomainid, secondchilddomainflag);
    IF secondchilddomainflag = 0 THEN
      flag_inout:=0;
      GOTO end_of_programm;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  IF thirdstring IS NULL AND secondchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    domainid_inout :=seconddomainid;
    flag_inout := 1;
    GOTO end_of_programm;
  ELSIF thirdstring IS NOT NULL AND secondchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    ps_childdomainid(seconddomainid, thirdstring, thirddomainid, thirdchilddomainflag);
    IF thirdchilddomainflag = 0 THEN
      flag_inout :=0;
      GOTO end_of_programm;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  IF fourthstring IS NULL AND thirdchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    domainid_inout := thirddomainid;
    flag_inout := 1;
  ELSIF fourthstring IS NOT NULL AND thirdchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    ps_childdomainid(thirddomainid, fourthstring, fourthdomainid, fourthchilddomainflag);
    IF fourthchilddomainflag = 0 THEN
      flag_inout := 0;
      GOTO end_of_programm;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  IF fifthstring IS NULL AND fourthchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    domainid_inout := fourthdomainid;
    flag_inout := 1;
  ELSIF fifthstring IS NOT NULL AND fourthchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    ps_childdomainid(fourthdomainid, fifthstring, fifthdomainid, fifthchilddomainflag);
    IF fifthchilddomainflag = 0 THEN
      flag_inout := 0;
      GOTO end_of_programm;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  IF sixthstring IS NULL AND fifthchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    domainid_inout := fifthdomainid;
    flag_inout := 1;
  ELSIF sixthstring IS NOT NULL AND fifthchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    ps_childdomainid(fifthdomainid, sixthstring, sixthdomainid, sixthchilddomainflag);
    IF sixthchilddomainflag = 0 THEN
      flag_inout := 0;
      GOTO end_of_programm;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  IF seventhstring IS NULL AND sixthchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    domainid_inout := sixthdomainid;
    flag_inout := 1;
  ELSIF seventhstring IS NOT NULL AND sixthchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    ps_childdomainid(sixthdomainid, seventhstring, seventhdomainid, seventhchilddomainflag);
    IF seventhchilddomainflag = 0 THEN
      flag_inout := 0;
      GOTO end_of_programm;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  IF eigthstring IS NULL AND seventhchilddomainflag =1 THEN
    domainid_inout := seventhdomainid;
    flag_inout := 1;
  ELSIF eigthstring IS NOT NULL AND seventhchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
    ps_childdomainid(seventhdomainid, eigthstring, eigthdomainid, eigthchilddomainflag);
  IF eigthchilddomainflag = 0 THEN
    flag_inout := 0;
    GOTO end_of_programm;
  ELSIF eigthchilddomainflag = 1 THEN
      domainid_inout := eigthdomainid;
      flag_inout :=1;
    END IF;
  END IF;
  <<end_of_programm>>
  NULL;
END ps_getdomainid;