I'm the helpline operator and I'll spare you the time

[venta]

Note to self:

3 + 8 << 2

is not the same as

3 + (8 << 2)

That's an hour you just spent tracking down a bug based on a mistake you've made several times before.

Yes, I know, brackets. Normally I'm assiduous about brackets. But for short lines like, say,

3 + 8*2

I actually think they detract from readability.

I'm sure there are sound reasons why shift has precedence over addition in C, but I find it counter-intuitive in the extreme.

Maybe a nice dose of online mockery will help me remember in the future :(

Note to non-geeks:
Don't worry, not much to see here. I made a school-boy error.

Comments

If it isn't in BODMAS, be afraid.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

Brackets are your friend.

I believe the logic is, twiddling bits is considered higher priority than assembling them into a bitmask. So build your mask, shift it into position, then OR the mask together.

Re: If it isn't in BODMAS, be afraid.

[venta.livejournal.com]

You see, if I remembered that it wasn't BODMAS, there wouldn't be a problem :) As far as I'm concered << and * are basically the same operation, making it an M.