Re: equality operator question

"Jim Langston" <tazmaster@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message 
news:wMATj.167$4J1.131@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Jack Klein wrote:

<...>

>> The reason for writing the constant first in an equality comparison is
>> quite simple.  A fairly common typographical error is type only one
>> '=' once in a while when two are intended, and needed.
>>
>> Consider the implications of accidentally typing:
>>
>>   if (i = 0)
>>
>> ...when you meant to type:
>>
>>   if (i == 0)
>>
>> Assuming a built-in type, or even a class type having an assignment
>> operator accepting an int, then the first version, the type, is not
>> only always false, but it also destroys the existing value of 'i'. Yet
>> it is syntactically correct and swallowed by the compiler without
>> complaint.
>>
>> On the other hand, if you accidentally type "if (0 = i), the compiler
>> will emit a diagnostic and reject it.
>>
>> So it is a very inexpensive method of catching a typing error on the
>> very first compile.  This is not an extremely common error, but is one
>> which happens to everyone once in a while.  And of course it doesn't
>> help when you are comparing two objects, but comparisons with a
>> constant are fairly frequent.
>>
>> Some programmers consider it hideously ugly and refuse to ever use it.
>> I think it is useful and I use it.  It works, and it saves time when
>> you do happen to make that typo.
>
> I agree, but my compiler warns me if an assignment is being made inside
an 
> if statement.  Otherwise I probably would use that format.  But since it

> does, I stick with the more traditional if ( variable == value )


Of course to address the problem effectively one could simply *replace*
the 
offending operators:

#define IS_EQUAL_TO ==

#define INITIALISE_WITH =

#define PLUS +

#define OUTPUT <<

#define CONTENTS_OF *

#define POINTER *

#define ADDRESS_OF &

#include <iostream>

int main()

{

int x INITIALISE_WITH 1;

int POINTER px INITIALISE_WITH  ADDRESS_OF x;

if ( CONTENTS_OF px PLUS 1 IS_EQUAL_TO 2){

std::cout OUTPUT "Who needs operators?\n";

}

}



regards

Andy Little