3.6.8 Switch Statements

• A switch statement provides a multiway branching capability based on the value of an integer index.
• They are particularly useful when dealing with tests where there can be a large number of possible outcomes.
• The advantage of using a jump table over a long sequence of if-else statements is that the time taken to perform the switch is independent of the number of switch cases.
• The array jt contains seven entries, each of which is the address of a block of code. These locations are defined by labels in the code and indicated in the entries in jt by code pointers, consisting of the labels prefixed by &&.

• Examining all of this code requires careful study, but the key point is to see that the use of a jump table allows a very efficient way to implement a multiway branch