Just wondering, but assuming you had maybe 10 different values to compare to X, would it be better to write one giant long if condition, or a for loop with an if-statement that returns true if x == value, and then false if the for loop finishes without returning true?
The long if statement is going to be hard to read for humans and space consuming. It will be slightly faster however than the for loop, but that should't bother you.
A better way would be to make the for loop in a separate function that returns boolean value or storing the comparison values in an array and checking something like:
var array = [1,2,3,4,5]
if(array.contains(x))
{
// x is one of the values
}
else
{
// x is not in the values
}
Which programming language you are using? For Php Lets try this by using in_array() function of php.
$arr_value = array("value1", "value2", "value3", "value4"); //set matching values
if(in_array($original_value, $arr_value))
{
//true block
}
else
{
//false block
}
Giant long if condition is not advisable because you may encounter a conflict on it. Instead use if else condition to solve your problem.
Related
Newbie here and I just want to know should I use ELSE IF for something like below:
(function)
IF x==1
IF x==2
IF x==3
That is the way I am using, because the x will not be anything else. However, I think that if the x is equal to 1, the program still gonna run through the following codes (which turn out to be FALSE FALSE FALSE ...). Should I use ELSE IF so it won't have to run the rest? Will that help the performance?
Why don't I want to use ELSE IF? because I'd like each code block (IF x==n) to be similar, not like this:
IF x==1
ELSE IF x==2
ELSE IF x==3
(each ELSE IF block is part of the block above it)
But the program will repeatedly call this function so I am worried about the performance or delay.
Short answer: If you do not need to handle a case where multiple conditions might be true at the same time, always use
if (condition) {
//do something
}
else if (other_condition) {
//do something else
}
else { //in all other conditions
//default behaviour
}
Long answer:
As others have already stated, performance is not really a big concern (unless you are writing production code for enterprise software targeted at colossal businesses). In case performance is indeed crucial though, you should go for the above format anyway. So that might be a good practice/habit to get used to (especially if you are now starting your code journey)
Switch could be an alternative, but since you haven't specified the language I would avoid suggesting it since, in some languages, it defaults to fall-through (which might get you where you started in the first place and confuse you even more)
Performance might not be a concern. But keep in mind that logic errors are a huge enemy to programming, and your solution is prone to them if you don't actually need it to be able to match more than one cases. Consider the following case.
if (x == 1) {
x = x + 1
}
if (x == 2) {
x = x + 2
}
if (x >= 3) {
print("Error: x should only be 1 or 2!")
}
In this case, you would expect that if x >= 3 you would warn about an error in value since you only had in mind handling the values 1 or 2. Actually though, even if the value of x is 1 or 2 (which you have considered to be valid) the same error message would be printed!. That's because you have allowed the possibility of more than one conditions being checked and the respective code block being executed each time. Note that this is an oversimplified example. In times, this can be a great pain! Especially if you collaborate with others and you share the code and you are aiming for expendable and maintainable code.
To conclude, do not use a simpler solution if you haven't thought it through. Go for the complete one instead and take in mind all possible outcomes (usually the worst case scenarios and even future features and code).
Best Regards!
If the value being tested is expected to be able to match multiple in a single calling, then test each (IF, IF, ...).
If the value is expected to only match one, then check for it and stop if you find it (IF, ELSE IF, ELSE IF...).
If the values are expected to be one of a known set, then go right to it (switch).
Assuming this is javascript, but this should be about the same for anything else.
The code inside the if statement will only be run if the condition you provide it is true. For example, if you declare x = 1, we could have something like:
function something() {
if(x == 1) {
//do this
}
if(x == 2) {
//do that
}
if(x == 3) {
//do this and that
}
The first block would be run and everything else is ignored. An else-if statement will run if the first if statement is false.
function something() {
if(x == 1) {
//do this
}
else if(x == 2) {
//do that
}
So if x == 1 was false, the next statement would be evaluated.
As for performance, the difference is way too little for you to care about. If you have many conditions you need to test, you may want to look into a switch statement.
while(a!=1&&c!=1)
{
r=rand()%2;
if(r==0)
{
cout<<"Cruz"<<endl;
if(a==1)
{
c=0;
}
c++;
}
else if(r==1)
{
if(a>1)
{
a=0;
}
cout<<"Cara"<<endl;
a++;
}
b++;
}
I don't know why but this loop always exits when one of the two conditions is false... and I need when both are false.
Does anyone know why is this happening?
pretty sure you want an || instead of a && because you want it to continue if either of them are true statements. (alternatively, and this would be probably more coherent, you could do:!(a==1||c==1))
The logical and operation only returns true when both the conditions are met. If you require the loop to work please use the logical OR operator that returns true when any one of the conditions are met. Please see the below truth table. Please check if you are using the correct logical operator
After the while statement, you explain the condition that must stay true while the code continues to loop. Since you want to exit when a and b have some property, you need to keep looping while either a or b does not have that property.
Say you can't go to sleep until both your homework and your chores are done. That means you need to stay awake while either your homework or your chores aren't done.
Let's say I have a simple function that checks a condition and returns true if the condition is true and false if the condition is false.
Is it better to use this type of code:
bool myfunction( /*parameters*/ ) {
if ( /*conditional statement*/ ) {
return true;
}
return false;
}
Or this type:
bool myfunction( /*parameters*/ ) {
if ( /*conditional statement*/ ) {
return true;
}
else return false;
}
Or does it just really not make a difference? Also, what considerations should I bear in mind when deciding whether to "if...else if" vs. "if...else" vs. "switch"?
You can also write this without any conditional at all:
bool myfunction( /*parameters*/ ) {
return /*conditional statement*/;
}
This way you avoid the conditional entirely.
Of course, if you are dealing with a different function where you need the conditional, it shouldn't make a difference. Modern compilers work well either way.
As far as using switch vs if-else, switch adds efficiency when you have many cases by allowing you to jump to a single one, making execution faster by not running all cases. At a low (hardware/compiler level), switch statements allow you to make a single check/jump, where if you had many if statements, you would need to make many checks/jumps.
It is the same. Remember whenever you say
return boolean;
the function ends and return to its calling line.
Therefore putting it inside else or just simply putting it is same.
say we want to check the prime
bool isPrime (int n){
for (int i = 2; i <= sqrt(n); i++){
if (n % i == 0)
return false;
}
return true;
}
if you see the function closely you will know if the number is divided properly with any value in range of sqrt(n) it will return false as the number is not a prime..
if it cannot be divided then the loop will end without any interference and said the number to be a prime. hence forth the function works properly.
Since neither of two given answers are hitting the nail, i will give you another one.
From the code (or compiler's) view, assuming recent compiler both versions are identical. Compiler will optimise if version to return version just fine. Difference is in debugging - the debugger you're using might not allow you to set breakpoint on return value (for example if you want to set breakpoint on only returning true values). While if version give you two return statements on different lines and any sane debugger will set breakpoint on line just fine.
Both functions are identical, regardless of any optimizations applied by the compiler, because the "else" in the second function hasn't any effect. If you leave the function as soon as the condition is met, you'll never enter the other branch in this case, so the "else" is implicit in the first version.
Hence I'd prefer the first version, because the "else" in the other one is misleading.
However, I agree with others here that this kind of function (both variants) doesn't make sense anyway, because you can simply use the plain boolean condition instead of this function, which is just a needless wrapper.
In terms of compilation the specific form you choose for if-else syntax won't make a big difference. The optimization path will usually erase any differences. Your decision should be made based on visual form instead.
As others have pointed out already, if you have a simple condition like this it's best to just return the calculation directly and avoid the if statement.
Returning directly only works if you have a boolean calculation. You might instead need to return a different type:
int foo(/*args*/) {
if(/*condition*/) {
return bar();
}
return 0;
}
Alternately you could use the ternary operator ?:, but if the expressions, it may not be as clear.
By using short returns (evaluation doesn't reach the end of the function) you can also sequence several conditions and evaluations.
int foo(/*args*/) {
if(/*condition1*/) {
return 0;
}
if(/*condition2*/) {
return 3;
}
int common = bar(/*args*/);
if(/*condition3*/) {
return 1-common;
}
return common;
}
Pick the form based on what makes the most logical sense, just ignore how this might compile. Then consider massaging the form to have the least visual complexity (avoids too much indentation or deep branching).
We can use for loop and while loop for same purpose.
in what means they effect our code if I use for instead of while? same question arises between if-else and switch-case? how to decide what to use?
for example which one you would prefer?
This code:
int main()
{
int n = 10;
for(int i=0;i<n;i++)
{
do_something();
}
return 0;
}
Or this code:
int main()
{
int n=10,i=0;
while(i<n)
{
do_something();
i++;
}
return 0;
}
if using for or while loop does not effect the code by any means then may I know What was the need to make 2 solution for same problem?
Use whichever one makes the intention of your code clearest.
If you know the number of iterations the loop should run beforehand, I would recommend the for construct. While loops are good for when the loop's terminating condition happens at some yet-to-be determined time.
I try to prefer the for loop. Why? Because when I see a for loop, I can expect all of the loop bookeeping is kept in a single statement. I can insert break or continue statements without worrying about breaking how the loop operates. And most importantly, the body of the loop focuses on what you actually want the loop to be doing, rather than maintaining the loop itself. If I see a while, then I have to look at and understand the entire loop body before I can understand what iteration pattern the loop uses.
The only place I end up using while is for those few cases where the control of the loop is provided by some outside routine (i.e. FindFirstFileW)
It's all a matter of personal opinion though. Lots of people don't like what I end up doing with for loops because the loop statement often ends up spanning multiple lines.
There are some very subtle differences..
scope of loop variable(s), for example, with the for loop i has local scope, with a while this has to be defined before (which means it is available after, of course you can do that with for as well..)
continue, with a for loop, variable will be increment/decremented, with a while, you'd have to insert the operation before continue
Frankly, if you need to increment/decrement, a for loop makes sense, if you don't know the bounds, and there is no real increment/decrement, a while loop makes more sense, e.g.
while(some_stream >> input)
{
// do stuff...
}
In general, a for loop might be preferable for simple loops, since the logic of the loop is contained in a single line:
for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {...}
However, sometimes we need more complex logic or flow control. A while loop allows us to implement more complicated loops. For example, suppose we only want to increment the counter variable under certain conditions:
int i = 0;
while (i < 10)
{
if (some_condition) ++i;
else if (some_other_condition) { ... }
else break;
}
Just use the one that makes the code readable and logical.
In some cases the compiler (gcc at least) will be able to optimize a very slightly better than a for loop doing the same thing. If I remember correctly that optimization is only about few clock cycles so it probably never will have any noticeable affect on the performance.
You cannot write while(int i=0, i < n); that is, you've to define i before the while loop; means i exists inside as well as outside the loop.
However, in case of for loop, you can define i right in the for loop itself; and so i doesn't exist outside the loop. That is one difference. Just because of this difference, I like for more than while. And use while rarely, when for makes thing more cumbersome!
By no means they affect your program the way it works ! Its the matter of ease to understand better.
switch(i) // Once finding your case, you can easily know where the switch ends
// and thus the next statement of execution
{
case 1: break ;
case 2: break ;
// .....
case 10: break ;
default:break ;
}
if( i==1 ) // Here you have the pain of finding where the last else if ends !
{}
else if( i==2)
{}
// ...
else if( i==10)
{}
However, it is a matter of taste. I prefer switch.
I want to have a while loop do something like the following, but is this possible in c++? If so, how does the syntax go?
do {
//some code
while( expression to be evaluated );
// some more code
}
I would want the loop to be exited as soon as the while statement decides the expression is no longer true( i.e. if expression is false, //some more code is not executed)
You can do:
while (1) {
//some code
if ( condition) {
break;
}
// some more code
}
A little background and analysis: what you're asking for I've heard called a "Dahl loop", named after Ole-Johan Dahl of Simula fame. As Sean E. states, C++ doesn't have them (ima's answer aside), though a few other languages do (notably, Ada). It can take the place of "do-while" and "while-do" loops, which makes it a useful construct. The more general case allows for an arbitrary number of tests. While C++ doesn't have special syntax for Dahl loops, Sean McCauliff and AraK's answers are completely equivalent to them. The "while (true)" loop should be turned into a simple jump by the compiler, so the compiled version is completely indistinguishable from a compiled version of a hypothetical Dahl loop. If you find it more readable, you could also use a
do {
...
} while (true);
Well, I think you should move the condition to the middle of the loop(?):
while (true)
{
...
// Insert at favorite position
if (condition)
break;
...
}
Technically, yes:
for ( ;CodeBefore, Condition; ) {CodeAfter}
The answer is no, you can't have your loop automatically terminate when the condition that the while statement is supposed to evaluate is true until it actually evaluates it at the top (or bottom) of the loop. The while statement can't be placed in the middle of the loop.
A variation on Dahl's loop that does not involve a goto into the middle of a do-while() is to use a switch-default:
switch (0) do {
// some more code
default:
// some code
} while (expression);