Shorthand operators Shorthand operators Shorthand operator: A shorthand operator is a shorter way to express something that is already available in the Java programming language Shorthand operations do not add any feature to the Java programming language (So it's not a big deal). Shorthand operators +=, -=, *=, /= and *= A frequent construct is the following:
x is a variable in the program
x = x + value ; // Add value to the variable x
x = x - value ; // Subtract value to the variable x
x = x * value ; // Increase the variable x by value times
and so on...
Java has a shorthand operator for these kinds of assignment statements Operator assignment shorthands: Operator symbol Name of the operator Example Equivalent construct += Addition assignment x += 4; x = x + 4; -= Subtraction assignment x -= 4; x = x - 4; *= Multiplication assignment x *= 4; x = x * 4; /= Division assignment x /= 4; x = x / 4; %= Remainder assignment x %= 4; x = x % 4; Exercise: what is printed by the following program
public class Shorthand1
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
int x;
x = 7;
x += 4;
System.out.println(x);
x = 7;
x -= 4;
System.out.println(x);
x = 7;
x *= 4;
System.out.println(x);
x = 7;
x /= 4;
System.out.println(x);
x = 7;
x %= 4;
System.out.println(x);
}
}
Example Program: (Demo above code) Prog file: click here How to run the program: Right click on link and save in a scratch directory To compile: javac Shorthand1.java To run: java Shorthand1 (You will see the answers on the terminal) Increment and decrement shorthand operators Two very commonly used assignment statements are:
1. x = x + 1;
and
2. x = x - 1;
x is a variable in the program
Java has shorthand operators to increment and decrement a variable by 1 (one). Increment and decrement operators: Operator symbol Name of the operator Example Equivalent construct ++ Increment x++; x = x + 1; -- Decrement x--; x = x - 1; Exercise: what is printed by the following program
public class Shorthand2
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
int x;
x = 7;
x++;
System.out.println(x);
x = 7;
x--;
System.out.println(x);
}
}
Example Program: (Demo above code) Prog file: click here How to run the program: Right click on link and save in a scratch directory To compile: javac Shorthand2.java To run: java Shorthand2 (You will see the answers on the terminal)
