Basic FOR loop not working

[son-ra]

Hi I am new to IDL/GDL, so apologies if I am missing something but I cannot get FOR loops to work with DO BEGIN. Here is an example of a script test_GDL.pro. I am using V0.9.9, GNU compilation.

When I run the following script:
PRO test_GDL
FOR i=0,5 DO PRINT, i
end

I get some messages, but ultimately the output I asked for:
% Programs can't be compiled from single statement mode.
0
1
2
3
4
5
% Parser syntax error: unexpected token: END

However, when I run this script:
PRO test_GDL
FOR i=0,5 DO BEGIN
PRINT, i
ENDFOR
end

I get this issue:
% Programs can't be compiled from single statement mode.
% Parser syntax error: unexpected end of file
6
% Parser syntax error: unexpected token: ENDFOR
% Parser syntax error: unexpected token: END

Could anyone provide insight into what is going on here? Thank you!

[slayoo]

This discussion seems to be relevant: #1504 (based on https://stackoverflow.com/questions/64335330/error-when-defining-function-in-gdl-on-ubuntu-20)
HTH

[son-ra]

Thank you so much!! It was indeed because I was running my scripts using @[script_name].pro instead of [script_name]

[GillesDuvert]

Better, see here
In particular:
Batch files (called via @myscript) can't have compound statements, i.e. with BEGIN/END. Make it into a procedure/function or a main-level program.