NAME
operators
DESCRIPTION
These are the operators availailable in LPC. They are listed
in the order of precedence (low priority first):
expr1 , expr2 Evaluate 'expr1' and then 'expr2'. The
returned value is the result of 'expr2'. The
returned value of 'expr1' is thrown away.
var = expr Evaluate 'expr', and assign the value to
'var'. The new value of 'var' is the result.
var += expr Assign the value of 'expr' + 'var' to 'var'.
This is mostly equivalent to "var = var + expr".
var -= expr Similar to '+=' above.
var &= expr
var |= expr
var ^= expr
var <<= expr
var >>= expr
var >>>= expr
var *= expr
var %= expr
var /= expr
var &&= expr
var ||= expr
expr1 ? expr2 : expr3
Evaluates 'expr1' and branches according to
its truth value. If it is true, the 'expr2' is
evaluated and returned as result, else
'expr3'.
expr1 || expr2 The result is true if 'expr1' or 'expr2' is
true. 'expr2' is not evaluated if 'expr1' was
true.
expr1 && expr2 The result is true i 'expr1' and 'expr2' is
true. 'expr2' is not evaluated if 'expr1' was
false.
expr1 | expr2 The result is the bitwise or of 'expr1' and
'expr2'.
For arrays, the union set is computed: all elements
from <expr1> plus all those from <expr2> which
are not in <expr1>.
expr1 ^ expr2 The result is the bitwise xor of 'expr1' and
'expr2'.
For arrays, the symmetric difference is computed:
all elements from <expr1> which are not in <expr2>,
plus all those from <expr2> which are not in <expr1>.
expr1 & expr2 The result is the bitwise and of 'expr1' and
'expr2'.
For arrays and strings, the intersection set
(all elements resp. characters from expr1 which
which are also in the expr2) is computed.
Note: "aab" & "a" -> "aa"
but ({ 'a','a','b' }) & ({ 'a' }) -> ({ 'a' })
Eventually the array behaviour will be changed
to match the string behaviour.
Intersecting an array with a mapping is equivalent
to intersecting the array with the indices of the
mapping: array & mapping = array & m_indices(mapping)
Mappings can be intersected with another mapping
or an array. The resulting mapping holds all
those entries from the first mapping, which are
also mentioned in the second mapping (as index)
resp. in the array.
expr1 == expr2 Compare values. Valid for strings, numbers,
objects and closures.
expr1 != expr1 Compare values. Valid for strings, numbers,
objects and closures.
expr1 > expr2 Valid for strings and numbers.
expr1 >= expr2 Valid for strings and numbers.
expr1 < expr2 Valid for strings and numbers.
expr1 <= expr2 Valid for strings and numbers.
expr1 << expr2 Shift 'expr1' left by 'expr2' bits; the sign
bit is not preserved.
expr1 >> expr2 Shift 'expr1' right by 'expr2' bits.
This shift preserves the sign of 'expr1'.
expr1 >>> expr2 Shift 'expr1' right by 'expr2' bits.
This shift does not preserve the sign of 'expr1',
instead it shifts in 0 bits.
expr1 + expr2 Add 'expr1' and 'expr2'. If numbers, then
arithmetic addition is used. If one of the
expressions are a string, then that string is
concatenated with the other value.
If the expressions are arrays, the result is
the right array appended to the left.
If the expressions are mappings of equal width,
the result is merger of the two mappings. If one
key exists in both mappings, the element from the
right mapping appears in the result. If the two
mappings are of different width, the result is
<expr1> if non-empty, and <expr2> otherwise.
expr1 - expr2 Subtract 'expr2' from 'expr1'. Valid for
numbers, strings, arrays, mappings.
For arrays and strings, all occurrences of the
elements resp. characters in 'expr2' are removed
from 'expr1', and the result is returned.
For mapping, all occurances of elemens in 'expr1'
which have a matching key in 'expr2' are removed, and
the result is returned.
expr1 * expr2 Multiply 'expr1' with 'expr2'.
If strings or arrays are multiplied with a number
(zero or positive), the result is a repetition of the
original string or array.
expr1 % expr2 The modulo operator of numeric arguments.
expr1 / expr2 Integer division.
++ var Increment the value of variable 'var', and
return the new value.
-- var Decrement the value of variable 'var', and
return the new value.
- var Compute the negative value of 'var'.
! var Compute the logical 'not' of an integer.
~ var The boolean 'not' of an integer.
( type ) var Return the value of <var> converted to <type>.
<type> can be 'string', 'int', 'object', 'float'
or 'int*'. <var> must be of a specific type
for a conversion to take place; if <var> is 'mixed'
or unknown, the cast is purely declarative.
Also, if the declared type of <var> is that of <type>,
the value is not changed.
NB. The literal number 0 is of unknown type, as
it doubles as 'not initialized' for strings, objects,
and arrays.
The operator acts like the efuns
to_string(), to_int(), to_object(), to_float()
and to_array(). It is advisable to use the
efuns directly instead of the cast.
({ type }) var <var> is now assumed to have the type <type>.
This is purely declarative, the actual value
of <var> is not changed.
var ++ Increment the value of variable 'var', and
return the old value.
var -- Decrement the value of variable 'var', and
return the old value.
expr1[expr2] The array or mapping given by 'expr1' is
indexed by 'expr2'.
expr1[expr2..expr3] Extracts a
piece from an array or string.
expr2 or expr3 may be omitted, default is the begin
or end of expr1.
Negative numbers for expr2 or expr3
mean ``count from before the beginning'', i.e.
foo[-2..-1] is an empty array or string.
foo[<2..<1] gives the 2nd and last element of
the array resp. chars of the string.
expr1->name(...) The symbolic form of call_other(). 'expr1'
gives either an object or a string which is
used as the file_name of an object, and calls
the function 'name' in this object.
expr1.name(...) The operator form of call_strict(). 'expr1'
gives either an object or a string which is
used as the file name of an object, and calls
the function 'name' in this object. Throws
an error, if the function does not exist.
ident::name(...)
Call the inherited function 'name' with the
given parameters in the parent 'ident'.
'ident' may be given as string containing the
full pathname, or as identifier containing the
pure basename.
If 'ident' is omitted, the last inherited
function of this 'name' is called.
({ }) Array constructor.
([ ]) Mapping constructor.
NOTE
The closure operators are not described here.
HISTORY
LDMud 3.2.9 added '>>>', '>>>=', '&&=' and '||='.
LDMud 3.2.10 extended '&' to mappings.
LDMud 3.3 extended '|' and '^' to arrays.
LDMud 3.6.2 added '.'.
SEE ALSO
arrays(LPC), alists(LPC), mappings(LPC), closures(LPC)
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