It would be nice to have `it` or similar variable ...

# language-proposals

[Matej Kormuth]

It would be nice to have it or similar variable in else clause of when control structure.

when (a()) {
    1 -> b()
    2 -> c()
    else -> d(it)
}

[Ruckus]

You can assign in the statement:

when (val res = a()) {
    ...
    else -> d(res)
}

The advantage of this as opposed to assigning a val before the when is that res is confined to the scope of the when.

[Marc Knaup]

I guess adding an implicit it would also break existing code where when together with it is used in a lambda.
btw it's not just a problem with else but also the other branches. You don't have the value in the right type there unless you use the preferred approach Ruckus has mentioned.

[xenoterracide]

death to syntax, when should be a method call! so should if

[benleggiero]

@Ruckus!! I had no idea of that syntax!! Thank you!!