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(emacs-lisp-intro.info)dotimes


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The `dotimes' Macro
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   The `dotimes' macro is similar to `dolist', except that it loops a
specific number of times.

   The first argument to `dotimes' is assigned the numbers 0, 1, 2 and
so forth each time around the loop, and the value of the third argument
is returned.  You need to provide the value of the second argument,
which is how many times the macro loops.

   For example, the following binds the numbers from 0 up to, but not
including, the number 3 to the first argument, NUMBER, and then
constructs a list of the three numbers.  (The first number is 0, the
second number is 1, and the third number is 2; this makes a total of
three numbers in all, starting with zero as the first number.)

     (let (value)      ; otherwise a value is a void variable
       (dotimes (number 3 value)
         (setq value (cons number value))))
     
     => (2 1 0)

`dotimes' returns `value', so the way to use `dotimes' is to operate on
some expression NUMBER number of times and then return the result,
either as a list or an atom.

   Here is an example of a `defun' that uses `dotimes' to add up the
number of pebbles in a triangle.

     (defun triangle-using-dotimes (number-of-rows)
       "Using dotimes, add up the number of pebbles in a triangle."
     (let ((total 0))  ; otherwise a total is a void variable
       (dotimes (number number-of-rows total)
         (setq total (+ total (1+ number))))))
     
     (triangle-using-dotimes 4)


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