I was asked a question what the difference is between having counter += 5 and counter + 5 in the java programming language. I said they essentially do the same thing but I did not know how to explain why. I felt one was considered a shorthand representation of the same problem but now thinking about it more, I feel I am not correct. Can anyone give me a simple explanation the difference between them?
counter += 5 modifies counter. counter += 5 can be used as a statement (e.g. line of code) on its own, because it does something (increments counter by 5).
counter + 5 does not modify anything. counter + 5 can only be used as an expression within a statement, because it doesn't do anything on its own.
Here is some code that demonstrates the difference:
int counter = 1;
System.out.println(counter + 5); // 6
System.out.println(counter); // 1
// counter + 5; // not a valid statement
counter += 5; // counter is now 6
System.out.println(counter); // 6
System.out.println(counter += 5); // 11
System.out.println(counter); // 11
counter += 5 is assigning the value of whatever counter was plus 5 to the counter variable while counter+5 is return the result of 5 plus counter but the counter variable stays the same.
+= operator
For example you have a a variable counter that equals 3. When you do counter += 5, you are actually assigning a new value to the variable counter. so if counter was 5 and you do counter+=3, counter will now equal 8.
+ operator without the equal
In this case if your counter equals 3. when you do counter+3 it will return 8 for that instance but your counter will still be 3.
Code to demonstrate the differences:
int counter = 3;
counter += 5;
int y = 0;
/*this will return 8, since the result of 5 and counter was newly assigned to
counter*/
System.out.println(counter);
//resetting counter value.
counter =3;
y = counter+5;
//here counter still remains at 3, because there wasn't anything assigned to it
System.out.println(counter);
//will return 8, because you assigned the result of counter and 5 to y.
System.out.println(y);
Only the JLS holds the true answer!
(Assuming count is a numeric type. If it's a String, for example, then everything everyone told you above is wrong at the time I wrote this.)
+= operator
JLS 15.26.2 Compound Assignment Operators:
A compound assignment expression of the form E1 op= E2 is equivalent to E1 = (T) ((E1) op (E2)), where T is the type of E1, except that E1 is evaluated only once.
following,
[...] the saved value of the left-hand variable and the value of the right-hand operand are used to perform the binary operation indicated by the compound assignment operator.
[...] the result of the binary operation is converted to the type of the left-hand variable, subjected to value set conversion (§5.1.13) to the appropriate standard value set (not an extended-exponent value set), and the result of the conversion is stored into the variable.
(emphasis mine). In the above above notation, E1 and E2 will perform the operation indicated by += (meaning E1 + E2). The result is stored in E1.
+ operator
JLS 15.18.2. Additive Operators (+ and -) for Numeric Types:
The binary + operator performs addition when applied to two operands of numeric type, producing the sum of the operands.
Note that there is no assignment here.
counter += 5 is the one that is shorthand, but it's shorthand for counter = counter + 5. counter + 5 is just an expression, what you get is a value that is 5 greater than the value of counter, but this value is just left behind and nothing is done with it. In order for something else to happen, an additional operator needs to be present, such as the =, or assignment operator. This operator takes an expression on the right hand side and an identifier on the left, evaluating the expression and assigning the result to the identifier. Without assignment, values don't change, and even when you use methods that seem to change values without assignment (String.append() for example) there is an assignment hidden in the code of the function. As an added fact, counter += 5 can be reduced (if you really want to call it reducing it) to counter++ used 5 times.
Related
I was going through some exercises but I am confused in this one:
public static int f (int x, int y) {
int b=y--;
while (b>0) {
if (x%2!=0) {
--x;
y=y-2;
}
else {
x=x/2;
b=b-x-1;
}
}
return x+y;
}
What is the purpose of b=y--?
So, for example, x=5 and y=5
when we first go inside of while loop (while (b>0)) will b = 4 or 5? When I am running the code in my computer b is 5. And the return is 3. It is really unclear to me. Sorry if I am unclear in my question.
int b=y--; first assignes b=y and then decrements y (y--).
Also take a look at the prefix/postfix unary increment operator.
This example (taken from the linked page) demonstrates it:
class PrePostDemo {
public static void main(String[] args){
int i = 3;
i++;
// prints 4
System.out.println(i);
++i;
// prints 5
System.out.println(i);
// prints 6
System.out.println(++i);
// prints 6
System.out.println(i++);
// prints 7
System.out.println(i);
}
}
The difference between a post-increment/decrement and a pre-increment/decrement is in the evaluation of the expression.
The pre-increment and pre-decrement operators increment (or decrement) their operand by 1, and the value of the expression is the resulting incremented (or decremented) value. In contrast, the post-increment and post-decrement operators increase (or decrease) the value of their operand by 1, but the value of the expression is the operand's original value prior to the increment (or decrement) operation.
In other words:
int a = 5;
int b;
b = --a; // the value of the expression --a is a-1. b is now 4, as is a.
b = a--; // the value of the expression a-- is a. b is still 4, but a is 3.
Remember that a program must evaluate expressions to do everything. Everything is an expression, even just a casual mention of a variable. All of the following are expressions:
a
a-1
--a && ++a
System.out.println(a)
Of course, in the evaluation of expressions, operator precedence dictates the value of an expression just as the PEMDAS you learned in grade school. Some operators, such as increment/decrement, have side effects, which is of course great fun, and one of the reasons why functional programming was created.
I believe b would equal 5 entering the loop because
b=y--;
When the "--" is behind the variable it decrements it after the action.
It's poor coding, as it can confuse new programmers.
The function, assuming it is passing by value, like in the example above (as opposed to passing by reference) takes a copy of y, decrements it, and assigns it to b. It does not alter the argument passed to the function when it was called.
Post increment
x++;
x += 1;
Post decrement
x--;
x -=1;
Pre increment : ++x;
Pre decrement : --x;
According to the Head First Java:
Difference between x++ and ++x :
int x = 0; int z = ++x;
Produces: x is 1, x is 1
in x = 0; int z = x++;
Produces: x is 1, z is 0
Just had an interesting thought. In languages like C# and Java, I know that when it comes to incrementing and decrementing, you can do a post, or pre-increment/decrement. Like this:
int a = 5;
Console.WriteLine(a++); // Would print out 5,
// And then increment a to 6
Console.WriteLine(++a); // Would then print out 7 because
// it increments a before printing it out
But, I was wondering if there is any such thing where one might do something like this:
int a = 5;
Console.WriteLine(a += 5); // Would print out 5,
// And then increment a to 10
Console.WriteLine(a =+ 5); // (Or something along those lines)
// To print out 15 at this point
Just interested and didn't really know where or how to look for the answer, so wondered if anyone on SO would know anything more about it. Thanks!
Edit: Added my question from the comments
Where exactly are a += 5 and a =+5 defined? I've never seen the second in use. Does it exist at all...? Do they compile to the same thing?
In the old days, the C language offered this syntax as a shortcut for adding or subtracting a value from a variable.
a =+ 5;
b =- 5;
But early on in the life of C, dmr (of blessed memory) and ken deprecated that syntax in favor of
a += 5;
b -= 5;
for precisely the same purpose, because it's far too easy to write b=-5 which means something entirely different from b -= 5. This "experienced" programmer remembers rewriting a bunch of code to match the new language spec.
So there has never been pre- or post- increment semantics in those constructions like there is in a++ or --b.
No. a += 5 isn't a post increment. It's an increment.
a++ is post-increment. And ++a is pre-increment.
The following prints the required results but is not exactly beautiful code:
int a = 5;
System.out.println(a+=5);
System.out.println((a+=5)-5);
System.out.println(a);
Prints:
10, 10, 15
a+=5 returns the value of a after the increment. (a+=5)-5 increments a and returns its value before the increment.
a=+5 just compiles to a=5. This performs assignment and the unary plus operator. It is akin to doing a=-5 (a equals negative 5).
System.out.println(+5);
Prints:
5
In C# the equivalent code generates the same output:
int a = 5;
Console.WriteLine(a+=5);
Console.WriteLine((a+=5)-5);
Console.WriteLine(a);
Console.WriteLine(+5);
Prints:
10, 10, 15, 5
There is no such operator in any language that I know of, but you can write your own C# function to do the same thing!
static void postAdd<T>(ref T lhs, T rhs) {
T saved = lhs;
lhs += rhs;
return saved;
}
This is not possible in Java because Java does not support pass-by-reference with ref.
Console.WriteLine(a+=5);
Is perfectly legal in the langauge. It is a sort of pre-increment operator in that it will increment the variable a before returning the value to the WriteLine call.
=+ isn't a valid operator since it isn't defined by the C# standard. All of the C# operators can be found on this page: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ewkkxkwb.aspx
Its not possible to create your own operators, because the compiler would have to know how to make expression trees or parse the line to generate the IL. The aside to this is that, by a lot of work and especially with the release of Rosyln, you could in theory make your own language (like IronPython) that had those operators.
The closest that you can come to your own operator are things like extension methods, for example:
public class Extensions
{
public static int AddMul(this int x, int add, int mull)
{
return x * mull + add;
}
}
which would be used like:
int x = 4;
int y = x.AddMul(2, 3); //y now equals 14
From page 280 of OCP Java SE 6 Programmer Practice Exams, question 9:
int x = 3;
x = x++;
// x is still 3
In the explanation we can read that:
The x = x++; line doesn't leave x == 4 because the ++ is applied
after the assignment has occurred.
I agree that x is 3, I understand post-incremenation.
I don't agree with the explanation. I would replace "after" with "before".
I thought it works like this:
x is 3.
x++ is executed. I see this post-increment operator as a function:
int operator++() {
int temp = getX();
setX(temp + 1);
return temp;
}
So, after x++ execution, x is 4, but the value returned from x++ expression is 3.
Now, the assignment =. Simply write returned 3 to x.
So, in my eyes ++ is applied before the assignment has occurred. Am I wrong?
...the ++ is applied after the assignment has occurred.
Okay, hold on. This is actually confusing and perhaps suggests an incorrect behavior.
You have the expression†:
x = ( x++ )
What happens is (JLS 15.26.1):
The expression on the left-hand side of the assignment x is evaluated (to produce a variable).
The expression on the right-hand side of the assignment ( x++ ) is evaluated (to produce a value).
The evaluation of the right-hand side is: x is post-incremented, and the result of the expression is the old value of x.
The variable on the left-hand side, x, is assigned the value produced by the evaluation of the right-hand side, which is the old value of x.
So the post-increment happens before the assignment.
(Therefore, as we know, the value of x after executing the statement x = x++; is the same as the value of x before executing the statement, which is 3.)
So, in my eyes ++ is applied before the assignment has occurred. Am I wrong?
You are right.
Technically, the way it is specified is that x++ is evaluated before its result is stored and during the evaluation of the assignment operator. So x++ can be interpreted as happening either before or during the assignment. Not after, so the book appears to be wrong either way.
Just for the heck of it, we may also look at some bytecode:
/* int x = 3; */
iconst_3 // push the constant 3 on to the stack : temp = 3
istore_0 // pop the stack and store in local variable 0 : x = temp
/* x = x++; */
iload_0 // push local variable 0 on to the stack : temp = x
iinc 0 1 // increment local variable 0 by 1 : x = x + 1
istore_0 // pop the stack and store in local variable 0 : x = temp
The iinc happens before the istore.
†: The parentheses have no effect on the evaluation, they are just there for clarity.
Reaching over to the official spec:
postfix ++ section: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-15.html#jls-15.14.2
assignment operator section: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-15.html#jls-15.26.1
In terms of assignment, this is simple assignment, so we hit case 3:
First, the left-hand operand is evaluated to produce a variable -- x
no errors -> the right-hand operand is evaluated -- x++
"the value of the right-hand operand is converted to the type of the left-hand variable, is subjected to value set conversion (§5.1.13) to the appropriate standard value set (not an extended-exponent value set), and the result of the conversion is stored into the variable"
So in step 2, the postfix operator should get resolved, and then in step 3, x gets assigned its original value again:
call: x = x++;
interframe: LHS is variable 'x'
interframe: RHS caches return value as 3
interframe: x is incremented to 4
interframe: RHS cached value '3' is returned for assignment
interframe: variable x is assigned value 3
call result: x = 3
So I think you're right in that the book is wrong, and it might be worth contacting the authors or publisher to have a correction published (or added to an errata page, etc)
x++ means "use x and then increment x."
You can also use ++x, which means "increment x and then use x."
More easily, however, you can simply do
x += 1;
++x is called preincrement while x++ is called postincrement.
int x = 3;
x = ++x;
exemple
int x = 5, y = 5;
System.out.println(++x); // outputs 6
System.out.println(x); // outputs 6
System.out.println(y++); // outputs 5
System.out.println(y); // outputs 6
I understand that the values of the two would be the same (say 3 to 4). However, does the computer see the two as the same, and would they both be considered expressions?
Thanks in advance!
Yes to both, except that (value++) evaluates to the old value, whereas (value = value + 1) evaluates to the new value.
The direct equivalent of (value = value + 1) within an expression is (++value).
Note that neither of them are thread-safe.
For added fun, here are two more equivalent options:
value += 1;
value -= -1;
That's incorrect. Rather, ++value is the same as value=value+1.
++Value is a pre-increment. Value++ is a post-increment.
'Post' means after - that is, the increment is done after the variable is read. 'Pre' means before - so the variable value is incremented first, then used in the expression.
For example:
int i, x;
i = 2;
x = ++i;
// now i = 3, x = 3
i = 2;
x = i++;
// now i = 3, x = 2
No, my friend ++value is equivalent to value=value+1 as it is changing the new value preincrement operator
and value++ is changing the old value which is kept in the memory i.e. post incrementing it
I have to pieces of code:
int m = 4;
int result = 3 * (++m);
and
int m = 4;
int result = 3 * (m++);
After the execution m is 5 and result is 15 in the first case, but in the second case, m is also 5 but result is 12. Why is this the case? Shouldn't it be at least the same behaviour?
I'm specifically talking about the rules of precedence. I always thought that these rules state that parantheses have a higher precedence than unary operators. So why isn't the expression in the parantheses evaluated first?
No - because in the first case the result is 3 multiplied by "the value of m after it's incremented" whereas in the second case the result is 3 multiplied by "the initial value of m before it's incremented".
This is the normal difference between pre-increment ("increment, and the value of the expression is the value after the increment") and post-increment ("remember the original value, then increment; the value of the expression is the original one").
The difference is when the result is assigned to m.
In the first case you have basically (not what it really does, but helps to understand)...
int result = 3 * (m=m+1);
In the second case you have
int result = 3 * m; m = m +1;
This is the definition of the operators: m++ evaluates to m, then increments m. It's a "post-increment". Parentheses around it don't change the fact that the operator evaluates to the variable, and also increments it afterward.
Think of it as "increment and get" and "get and increment." For instance, see AtomicInteger, which has the methods incrementAndGet() and getAndIncrement().