Thread: Alternatives for "if"

I have a project that specifies that we cannot use if statements. It's to find the second highest value in an array, without using if statements. All I am looking for is alternatives to if statements, because apparantly my prof doesn't like them. He said something about a statement that's formatted something like this:

(statement)? ( ) : ( ). but I had no clue what he was talking about because I have a hard time understanding him (he's from Romania)... Any help would be greatly appreciated.

edit: it's not finding the second highest value in an array, it was determining if one array was identical to another array. my bad, got those mixed up.

Code:

int c = a > b ? a : b;     // c = a if a > b, else c = b

...alternatives to if statements, because apparantly my prof doesn't like them.

If he does not like 'em, then I don't like him. Statement above may save line but it's harder to understand than an if statement.

alright, looks to be pretty easy, however I agree it is much less clear than if...else. Can you do something like setting a boolean value to true in addition to

Code:

int c = a > b ? a : b;

what I mean is can you add something like found = true right after the b?

Originally posted by criticalerror
alright, looks to be pretty easy, however I agree it is much less clear than if...else. Can you do something like setting a boolean value to true in addition to

Code:

int c = a > b ? a : b;

what I mean is can you add something like found = true right after the b?

Yes. The real format of this statement is:

Code:

val = (expr) ? (vTrue) : vFalse ;

expr can an be anything that returns True or False
vTrue and vFalse are the values that val will contain debending on the outcome.

If all you want is a boolean value, you can simply use:

Code:

val = a < b;

Here val is loaded with the outcome of a < b, True or False

Originally posted by criticalerror
I have a project that specifies that we cannot use if statements.

As a rule, whatever can be done using ifs, whiles, fors, and the like can be done using the much more elegant goto statement. Of course, you'll still need to use one of those constructs--or inline assembly--to complement the goto.

Code:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    int a = 5;
    int b = 6;
    while (a < b)
        goto bob;
    goto death;
    bob:
        cout << "Bob has been executed." << endl;
    death:
    cout << "Now dead and buried." << endl;
    return 0;
}

Originally posted by UnregdRegd
As a rule, whatever can be done using ifs, whiles, fors, and the like can be done using the much more elegant goto statement. Of course, you'll still need to use one of those constructs--or inline assembly--to complement the goto.

Code:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    int a = 5;
    int b = 6;
    while (a < b)
        goto bob;
    goto death;
    bob:
        cout << "Bob has been executed." << endl;
    death:
    cout << "Now dead and buried." << endl;
    return 0;
}

Why use a statement its own creators abhor. The goto statement is there to wean you off BASIC or FORTRAN, IMHO. It doesn't support modular programming concepts and is "infinetly abusable" why fall back on bad habits. Besides The conditional operator is succint and in some cases can even increase performence.

1 - Your professor doesn't have a problem with if-statments. He just wants you to learn something else. You cannot program without if-statements. All programming languages will have the equivalent of an if-statement. In C/C++ "if" is the most common form of conditional logic. And IMHO, conditional logic (or "conditional branching") is one of the two most important fundamental programming concepts. (The other is looping.)

2 - for this assignment, your professor wants you to use this: val = (expr) ? (vTrue) : vFalse ; Since that's what he covered in class. I believe I've heard this called "The Tertiary Statement." And, maybe I'm a whimp... but I agree with alphaoide. I always use if/else 'cause it's easier and clearer.

3 - UnregdRegd is kidding when he suggests using goto. He forgot to put a big in his post! caroundw5h is not kidding! [EDIT]- Besides that, goto itself isn't "conditional". In the example, the while() statement is the conditional statement.

4- Next time (maybe this time) your professor tells you not to use if, he will want you to use the switch/case statement. In many cases switch/case is much cleaner than a bunch of if-statements.