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Ternary operator

 
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HI guys, I'm having some problems understandin why this code doesn't compile (from the OCA 8 study book)

What is theresult of the following code snippet?


A: Tiger
B: Lion
C: Tiger is Bigger
D: Lion is Bigger
E: is Bigger
F: doesn't compile because of line 5



I didn't quite understand the explanation which says that it's effectively a metter of operator precedence. Here is my own partial interpretation of the code:
As 250 < 338 only the first part of the expression doesn't execute, leaving us with final (it's the value of tiger that we're trying to copy into the variable statement ). So basically we're trying to assign is Bigger to another literal? is that it?
thanks
 
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Jason Attin wrote:
I didn't quite understand the explanation which says that it's effectively a metter of operator precedence.


Well, basically, it is.... meaning after the compiler applies the precedence (and also, associatively), since the ternary operator has higher precedence than the assignment (and also, assignment has right to left assoc), this expression...

is basically the same as ...

and of course, this statement is invalid because the second assignment has a value on the left hand side (instead of a variable).

So...

Jason Attin wrote: leaving us with final (it's the value of tiger that we're trying to copy into the variable statement ). So basically we're trying to assign is Bigger to another literal? is that it?


Yes. Assigning a value to another value is not allowed. And your analogy worked...

Henry
 
Jason Attin
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Cool, thanks!
 
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Hi Jason -

Here's how you can use () to modify and compile the code:



With much respect,
Mala
 
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