increment operator ++

[Anupreet Arora]

class Test
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
int i = 1;
i = i++;
System.out.println(i);
}
}
-----------------------------------------------
Output: 1
------------------------------------------------
Any clues on why output is not 2, when i has been incremented ?

[Michael Morris]

Originally posted by Anupreet Arora:
class Test
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
int i = 1;
i = i++;
System.out.println(i);
}
}
-----------------------------------------------
Output: 1
------------------------------------------------
Any clues on why output is not 2, when i has been incremented ?

Because the postfix operators (++ and --) return the value before incrementing. So the final effect is to dicard the intermediate result of i+1 and set i equal to whatever it was before incrementing. Try the prefix operator instead:

i = ++i;

[Enamul Haque]

so,

i++;
is equavalant to i=i+1;
so
i = i++;
means
i = i = i+1;
isn't it

[Michael Morris]

Originally posted by Enamul Haque:
so,

i++;
is equavalant to i=i+1;
so
i = i++;
means
i = i = i+1;
isn't it

It's not equivalent. The pre/postfix operators (++ and --) are unary. All of the arithmetic operators (+, -, * etc.) are binary. Binary in the sence that it requires two operands. The statement i=i+1 as you probably already know is programmer shorthand for:
Grab the contents of i
Add 1
Return the sum
Store the sum at i
The term i+1 has absolutetly no effect on i. But the unary operators do affect their operand. i++ means:
Grab the contents of i
Add 1
Store the sum at i
Return i (original value)
For ++i:
Grab the contents of i
Add 1
Store the sum at i
Return the sum
So the effect of i=i++ is to temporarily store i+1 at i but then when it returns the original value, that is stored at i so no final change takes place.
[ June 30, 2003: Message edited by: Michael Morris ]

[Thomas Paul]

To simplify what Michael is saying, the postfix operator returns the value of i prior to incrementing it. So if i is equal to 0, when you do i=i++ you get this:
A) return 0
B) increment i to be equal to 1
C) take the returned value from step A and assign it to i
You have to remember that the postfix operator has a higher operator precedence than assignment so that is why the order is as above.

[Ravi Arikere]

Another Way of writing your program is
class Test
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
int i = 1;
//i = i++; This line is commented.

System.out.println(i++);
}
}
Since i++ is what is called as a "post- increment" operator, the compiler allows the operation following the increment statement to be performed and then does the incrementing. So in your case, first the present value of "i" which is 1 is displayed and then the increment operation is done.
Hope this helps.

[Anupreet Arora]

Thanks folks.. Things are much clearer now.
Especially, the question by Haque, which triggered the detailed clarification..
Cheers
Anupreet