Thread: is curly braces here is a must?

  1. #1
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    is curly braces here is a must?

    Hello,
    is the following:

    Code:
    for ( i = 1 ; i < 5 ; i++)
          if (x == 1)
              y = 5 * x;
    (Without curly braces)

    the same as:
    Code:
    for ( i = 1 ; i < 5 ; i++)
          {
                 if (x == 1)
                     y = 5 * x;
          }
    (With curly braces)?

    Thank you.

  2. #2
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    Yes.

    The reason is that the if(condition) statement line of code, is not a full line, we write it that way to help us, but the compiler see's it as ONE statement, until it reaches the ending semi-colon.

  3. #3
    pwns nooblars
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    Did you try compiling it and seeing what happens? That is where I would start if I were you.

  4. #4
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    Normally I put curly braces around all blocks just for readability and so that I do not have to guess what the code is going to do because of some misplaced or absent curlies.
    Code:
    for ( i = 1 ; i < 5 ; i++)
    {
          if (x == 1)
          {
              y = 5 * x;
          }
    }
    The code as it is makes no sense though.

  5. #5
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    Huge agreement with Bubba

    ...and for another reason...debugging.

    If you use a GUI debugger and want to set breakpoints, it's nearly impossible to get them write unless you have a coding style like Bubba's.

    Even:

    if ( a ) c = d;

    Is a problem in this regard, because you can't set a breakpoint on c=d that fires only when "a" is true, and this comes up enough that it's worth the brackets, IMO.

    Another reason to use the brackets - expansion.

    Today, it's just c=d, then that turns into c=d, g=f, then you need to introduce a function call, and soon you have to add the brackets anyway.

  6. #6
    ATH0 quzah's Avatar
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    Yes because it's so hard to go back later and add a pair of braces around a statement that doesn't have them.

    I also prefer braces, but those were some of the lamest reasons I've ever read.


    Quzah.
    Hope is the first step on the road to disappointment.

  7. #7
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    For the original question, the answer, as pointed out, is they are equivalent.

    I suggest putting curly braces around everything, too, though.

    Suppose you have something like
    Code:
    for ( i = 1 ; i < 5 ; i++)
          y += i;
    And later decided to add one more statement to the loop, if you are not careful, you can be misled by the indentation.

    Code:
    for ( i = 1 ; i < 5 ; i++)
          y += i;
          x += i;
    That, however, is equivalent to
    Code:
    for ( i = 1 ; i < 5 ; i++) {
          y += i;
    }
    x += i;
    The compiler won't necessarily complain because the code can be and often is perfectly legal.

    This can lead to some hard to find bugs.

  8. #8
    Registered User VirtualAce's Avatar
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    I also prefer braces, but those were some of the lamest reasons I've ever read.
    How about I add another one saying that the coding standards at work require I put curlies around everything so I have gotten used to doing it this way? Is that a better reason?

  9. #9
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    Thank you

    Thank you all for your support.

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