Thread: if conditions executing

I have a simple and short question that I just cant find an answer for.

If I code

Code:

int x = 1;
int y = 2;
int z = 3;
if (x == y--)
z+=3;

and then output each variable....should

1. y be decremented and print out as "1"
2. the statement after the if statement be executed


I ask because in my program, y does decrement (which seems weird to me because I feel like the condition is only check), and because the z variable is not increased. However I think this is because x is checked against y before it is decremented.

Clarification would be great, thanks!

If I recall correctly, -- is defined as a decrement operator. You can use that as a standalone function. Although, it's been a long time since I've coded in C...

Therefore, if you check using

Code:

if (x == (y-1))

(I'm a bit of a parenthesis ............. I never take any chances, though you could try it without the internal parentheses)

That should do a proper check without actually decrementing y.

Yes it is a decrement operator. and if i check x against (y-1) it doesnt decrement y.

However, I am confused why y-- is being executed since it is in an if condition. Is this a characteristic of c?

Originally Posted by ollie88r

Yes it is a decrement operator. and if i check x against (y-1) it doesnt decrement y.

However, I am confused why y-- is being executed since it is in an if condition. Is this a characteristic of c?

The compiler doesn't care where the decrement occurs - the effect is the same: the variable is decreased by one.

Ok

thanks sebastiani

Or to the point: the (parentheses) part of an if condition must always be evaluated, to see whether the condition is in fact true or false (putting short-circuiting aside for the moment). So any operation/function call/whatever inside that parentheses, you should expect to happen. If an operation/function call/whatever inside the true part, or the false part, then that may or may not happen depending on the condition.

(Short circuiting means that in a condition such as, say, this || that, if "this" is true then that will not be executed, since it is irrelevant to evaluating the entire expression -- the expression must be true so why bother.)

Oh, so for if (x == y-1), that's ok, because y-1 has to be executed for the == to be evaluated. That's a good tidbit. Thanks tabstop.

Originally Posted by Molokai

Oh, so for if (x == y-1), that's ok, because y-1 has to be executed for the == to be evaluated. That's a good tidbit. Thanks tabstop.

It has to be evaluated, yes. Notice the difference though: y-1 doesn't change y (it merely subtracts one from y and evaluates to that value); y-- does change y (in fact, it's sort of the opposite: the original, larger value of y is evaluated instead of the new value of y).

Originally Posted by ollie88r

I have a simple and short question that I just cant find an answer for.

If I code

Code:

int x = 1;
int y = 2;
int z = 3;
if (x == y--)
z+=3;

and then output each variable....should

1. y be decremented and print out as "1"
2. the statement after the if statement be executed


I ask because in my program, y does decrement (which seems weird to me because I feel like the condition is only check), and because the z variable is not increased. However I think this is because x is checked against y before it is decremented.

Clarification would be great, thanks!

if the increment ++ or decrement -- operator precedes the variable, the variable is modified before evaluation, if it comes after the variable is modified after evaluation. You should be able to figure out the rest on your own