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From: kwh@bentley.UUCP (KW Heuer)
Newsgroups: net.lang.c
Subject: Re: Boolean Operators Slighted in C
Message-ID: <791@bentley.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 5-May-86 09:37:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: bentley.791
Posted: Mon May  5 09:37:54 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 7-May-86 01:29:55 EDT
References: <778@bentley.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Liberty Corner
Lines: 17

In article <778@bentley.UUCP> I wrote:
>A true boolean datatype would have a couple of advantages:
>
>o  Multiple flag variables with local scope and no address operator (e.g.
>   variables declared "register bool") could be packed into a single word.
>
>o  "++x" and "--x" could be defined as "set" and "clear"; "x++" and "x--"
>   would then be "test and (set|clear)".  This would obviate such things as
>   "if (!flag) { flag=1; printmsg(); }".

I forgot to mention one other:

o  A function returning a bool could be implemented on some machines by
   setting the condition codes instead of storing a full integer value in
   the return register.

Karl W. Z. Heuer (ihnp4!bentley!kwh), The Walking Lint