operator precedence

[durga krishna]

hi all
i have a doubt in the following.the output is 2,0,0,0.
can someone explain in detail .thanx for ur help.
class goin
{
public static void main(String args[])
{
int b=0;
int a[]=new int[4];
a[a[b]]=a[b]=b=2;
for(int i=0;i<4;i++)
{
System.out.println(a[i]);
}
}
}
regards
durga.

[Maja Grabovac]

The expressions are always evaluated from left to right.
I added some comments so I hope that it will be more clear this way.
int b=0;//b =0
int a[]=new int[4]; //a[0]=0, a[1]=0, a[2]=0, a[3]=0
a[a[b]]=a[b]=b=2;
Hope that this will help
//when you strat evaluating from left you get at first you get:
//a[a[0]]=a[0]=b=2
//then further evaluation:
//a[0]=0=b=2
//where you set a[0] to be 0 and b to be 2
for(int i=0;i<4;i++)
{
System.out.println(a[i]);
}
}
}
regards
durga.

[nan sh]

First of all, if you don't want to quit the job and till be able to
get benifits from government( like here in Australia), please
do not write code like that! or next lay-out you will
be the first candidate.
There are two thing involved in this problem, one is
Evaluation order(see R&H page 33) and the other is the
Assignment Operators(see R&H page 65)
Evaluation order said that JAVA scan a line of code from
left to right and decide what it is,
Assignment Operator run from right to left.
so when it sees this line of code :a[a[b]]=a[b]=b=2;
Evaluation first(from left to right)
first : a[a[b]]; as at right now b = 0, so a[b] is a[0]
also it decides a[a[b]] is a[0],
second : =a[b], because b is 0 ,a[b] just a[0]
third : b just b
the last : is 2
now it is time Assignment Operator(from right to left)
first : b=2, so now b is 2
Second : a[b]=b, it decided a[b] is a[0] so a[b]=b just a[0]=2
the last : a[a[b]]=a[b], as it decided a[a[b]] is a[0]
so this assignment just as a[a[0]]=a[0], which the same as a[0] =a[0]
which means a[0]=2
The result as a[0] = 2 the other 0 as before.

[huiying li]

This reference should be useful:
15.13.2 Examples: Array Access Evaluation Order http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/second_edition/html/expressions.doc.html#23902
a[a[b]] = a[b] = b = 2; is evaluated as follows
0) The left-hand operand of a binary operator is evaluated first
1) a[a[b]] evaluates to a[0]
2) a[b] evaluates to a[0]
3) assignment is evaluated performed right to left
4) b = 2 assigns 2 to b and returns 2 to a[b]
5) a[0] = 2 assigns 2 to a[0] and returns 2 to a[a[b]]
6) a[0] = 2 assigns 2 to a[0] again and returns 2
No specific assignment is made to the other three array elements, so they still have the default int value of zero.
Therefore, a[0] = 2, a[1] = 0, a[2] = 0, a[3] = 0 are printed out.

[durga krishna]

Hi Maja,nan and huing li
Thanx for ur detailed explanations.hi nan (fyi)i found this in a mock exam.
durga.