[fpc-pascal] case statement

[Adriaan van Os]

I am looking in detail at the syntax diagrams in the Freepascal Language Reference (version 3.2.0)

Section 13.2.2 discusses the case-statement. Translated to EBNF (WSN) the syntax is

case-statement = "CASE" expression "OF" case { ";" case } [ else-part ] [ ";" ] .
case = constant [ ".." constant ] { "," constant [ ".." constant ] } ":" statement .
else-part = [ "ELSE" | "OTHERWISE" ] statementlist .

If this is correct (and the compiler really allows it) then a semicolon between <case> and 
<else-part> is not required. Consequently, there is an ambiguity between an if-then-else statement 
(as last statement of the <case>) and an if-then statement (as last statement of the <case>) and an 
<else-part>. This is extremely dangerous and I feel that at least the Language Reference should 
warn against it.

Even with an obliged semicolon, I always use "OTHERWISE instead of ELSE, but that's my personal 
preference.

By the way, the Language Reference doesn't specify what a <statementlist> is.

Regards,

Adriaan van Os