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From: torek@elf.ee.lbl.gov (Chris Torek)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.c
Subject: Re: When do you use "if ( a = b )"? (was Re: Funny mistake)
Message-ID: <11109@dog.ee.lbl.gov>
Date: 19 Mar 91 19:13:45 GMT
References: <8148@rsiatl.Dixie.Com> <15481@smoke.brl.mil> <775@camco.Celestial.COM> <65837@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> <1991Mar18.195351.11985@unlv.edu>
Reply-To: torek@elf.ee.lbl.gov (Chris Torek)
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley
Lines: 21
X-Local-Date: Tue, 19 Mar 91 11:13:46 PST

In article <1991Mar18.195351.11985@unlv.edu> grover@sonny-boy.cs.unlv.edu
(Kevin Grover) writes:
>There are plenty of uses for it.  It will allow smaller code, and checks to be
>done quicker.

Smaller source code, yes.  Smaller or faster object code---well, if
your compiler generates different code for

	if (a = b)

than for

	a = b;
	if (a)

then your compiler is not worth what you paid for it.  (Well, with two
possible exceptions: if you have turned off all optimization, or if `a'
is declared `volatile'.)
-- 
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Lawrence Berkeley Lab CSE/EE (+1 415 486 5427)
Berkeley, CA		Domain:	torek@ee.lbl.gov