Operarors in C?

[jk2005.jeeva]

Hi

Anyonem, could you please explain clearly about the order of evaluation of increment, decrement operators in an expression in C?

Thanks in advance..

[Ancient Dragon]

Its really a very simple concept (link here)

[jk2005.jeeva]

Its really a very simple concept (link here)

Thanks, But can you please explain it with this example?

main() 
{ 
    int x=20,y=35; 
    x=y++ + x++; 
    y= ++y + ++x; 
    printf(“%d%dn”,x,y); 
}

By solving this, i got 5592, 55 for first x by adding both x and y before increment them ,since they are post increment operators, then in next expression both x and y get incremented and added to give y value as 92. Right? But the computer shows the answer as 5794. How is it possible?

[Aia]

int main(void)
{
int x=20,y=35;
x=y++ + x++;
y= ++y + ++x;
printf(“%d%d\n”,x,y); /* is should be \n */
return 0;
}

Those two expressions invoke undefined behavior. Anything can be the result.
It is best if you write int main(), and return inside of main to comply with the standard.

[kommuru]

According to your result, the exeuction has been done as follows:
just check the values of x and y after each statement

int x=20,y=35; x = 20 , y= 35

x=y++ + x++; post increment so no change in x and y
x= 20+35 = 55, y=35

After the execution of the above statement, the values in x and y get incremented, so x = 56 and y = 36

y= ++y + ++x; Here preincrement for both x and y so the
x becomes 57 and y becomes 37
y= 57 + 37 = 94

when you print x and y , 57 and 94 are displayed. I hope its clear now.

[Aia]

Expressions has direct effects and side effects.
This expression, x = y; has a direct effect of copying the computed value of y assigning it to the location x.

x = a[i]; has a direct effect as well.
x = a[i++]; has a direct effect and a side effect. After the value of a[i] gets copied to x, one is added to the value of i. This works fine because of the sequence points. After the statement has completed execution, both x and i has its value changed in a predictable way.

x = a[i++] + b[i++]; in the other hand is unpredictable. The precedence of the operators are defined by the C Standards but the order of execution is not. It is possible that a[i] + b[i] gets added first and then assign to x, or it is possible that i++ gets increment first and then the sum of a[i] + b[i] gets assign to x.
Heck, it is even possible (anything is possible) that in a bizarre way i gets incremented for the a subscript and then for the b subscript before the sum of both gets assign to x

The rule of thumb is not to rely on the order of precedence between sequence points. A sequence point is the guarantee that all direct and side effects are completed at that point. Sequence points are:

; (semicolon)
, (coma)
|| (OR)
&& (AND)
?: ( question mark and colon)
and any expression as a parameter for a function call.

Now, if you look back to the previously posted x=y++ + x++; we can see that it is not possible to know in a predictable way the final value of x, taking in consideration what I just explained. However, there's more. [1]There's a rule in the standard that says that between sequence points a object can have its value changed only once, and that the previous value shall be access only for determining the value stored.
This statement x = x++; would break that rule.

[1] In my own words.

[kommuru]

Aia, Thanks for the good information