Complicated if statemnet in C

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HI guys,

I'm doing an application that users can use certain information from combo boxes, checkboxes etc

The problem is that I need to give them some client details depends on the data they chose.

I have an if statement with 5 conditions example:

if(a > 0, B >0, c>0 ,d>0, e>0)

now these can be combined so I need to do a lot of if statement ( factorial of 5 (120 if statements))

, someone know a way how can i reduce the complexity and repetition of this if statement please.

CODE EXAMPLE:

/if (this.Mcc.Length > 1 && this.CheckboxIsTicked == false && this.TestCases > 0 && THIS.TESTCASE1 > 0 && THIS.TESTCASE2 > 0)
                    {
                        
                            sql = "SELECT * FROM  TABLE1;
                       

                    }ELSE IF(<pre>this.Mcc.Length > 1 && this.CheckboxIsTicked == false && this.TestCases > 0 && THIS.TESTCASE1 > 0 && THIS.TESTCASE2 < 0

)
{
sql = "SELECT * FROM TABLE2;

}

AND MANY MANY MORE

What I have tried:

i tried to make it simpler but i cannot. Some suggestions pleasE?

Posted 9-Feb-18 1:09am

Joe Doe234

Updated 9-Feb-18 9:49am

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Comments

Patrice T 9-Feb-18 7:17am

Not clear what you try to do, this code is not C.

Joe Doe234 9-Feb-18 8:05am

c# sorry but i cannot find where i can edit my question :/... originalgriff understand it ...

Patrice T 9-Feb-18 8:30am

Use Improve question to update your question.

4 solutions

Solution 3

What you are looking at is building a decision table.

Posted 9-Feb-18 1:33am

Pete O'Hanlon

Solution 4

Quote:
now these can be combined so I need to do a lot of if statement ( factorial of 5 (120 if statements))

No you have 5 binary conditions, it makes 2^5= 32 possibilities.

You need to learn that C is case sensitive, this mean that:
'this' is correct, 'THIS' is not.
'if' is correct, 'IF' is not.
'else' is correct, 'ELSE' is not.

C++

sql = "SELECT * FROM  TABLE1"; // is correct
sql = "SELECT * FROM  TABLE1; // is not

C++

if (THIS.TESTCASE2 > 0) {...}
else if (THIS.TESTCASE2 < 0) {...}

This code misses the case (THIS.TESTCASE2 == 0) which is not handled.

Posted 9-Feb-18 9:46am

Patrice T

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CPallini · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-09T01:23:00

Solution 1

Have a look at Decision table - Wikipedia[^].

Posted 9-Feb-18 1:23am

CPallini

Comments

Ziee-M 9-Feb-18 8:41am

Learned somthin new today, thx

CPallini 9-Feb-18 9:01am

You are welcome.

Maciej Los 9-Feb-18 14:50pm

5ed!

CPallini 9-Feb-18 15:38pm

Too good, Sir!
Thank you.

Maciej Los 9-Feb-18 15:39pm

;)

OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2018-02-09T01:33:00

Solution 2

if you want just strings, then one way to do it is to set up and array, and reduce each if condition to a single bit in an integer.

C#

int index = 0;
if (a > 0) index |= 1;
if (b > 0) index |= 2;
if (c > 0) index |= 4;

You can then set up an array of strings that relates to the index value:

C#

string[] selects = new string[] { "Select * FROM none",
                                  "Select * FROM a only",
                                  "Select * FROM b only",
                                  "Select * FROM a and b",
                                  "Select * FROM c only",
                                  "Select * FROM a and c",
                                  "Select * FROM b and c",
                                  "Select * FROM a, b, and c"};

And select your string directly.

Posted 9-Feb-18 1:33am

OriginalGriff

Updated 9-Feb-18 1:53am

v2

Comments

Joe Doe234 9-Feb-18 7:44am

then I can call select[index] , right ?

OriginalGriff 9-Feb-18 7:54am

Exactly that!

Joe Doe234 9-Feb-18 8:04am

but the problem is that i am going to have the same amount of if statements, there is a way that i can reduce them please ?

OriginalGriff 9-Feb-18 8:21am

No, the whole idea is you don't. In the example I gave, you have three if statements, and that chooses from eight strings (basic binary going on here). You said you have five condition which are combined: that's what the binary OR into the index value does: if a and b are true, index holds three (1 | 2 == 3)
You have five conditions which gives you 32 options, but only five if statements.

Joe Doe234 9-Feb-18 10:12am

wow, that seems interesting. I will go into more detail about this. thank you :)

OriginalGriff 9-Feb-18 10:18am

You're welcome!

Ziee-M 9-Feb-18 8:48am

I would do things a little diffrently.
-1- I create a table that holds all the possible answers, i think of this conditions as rules, that can change/update over time. setting them in a table to allow user update seems a good idea to me.
-2- Similar to OriginalGriff, i would generate a binary of 5 (00000->11111) and depending on the value, i would use my database table and get the row.
-3- The result should be only one line of code, since all your rules are in database level

OriginalGriff 9-Feb-18 10:28am

Using a database isn't a bad idea, but it's a little dangerous in this case.
Remember that he is working out which SQL SELECT command to execute, so systems which are easier to change that command and cause it to be executed on other systems have to be treated with caution. To modify source code is difficult - the number of people who have access to the source code and a compiler, and can issue the revised version to all clients is probably quite small. But the number of people who can modify string values in a database is generally a whole load larger. So just like SQL Injection it wouldn't take much to add code you be executed later pretty much untraceably:
UPDATE Salaries SET HourlyRate = HourlyRate + 1 WHERE EmpID = 666; SELECT * FROM TABLE1
In one entry that only gets used in a specific case, and delete it after a month or two and it'd be pretty much untraceable unless you really knew where to look, and how. You have to be careful about these things!

Ziee-M 9-Feb-18 10:35am

Indeed, you explanation make a lot of sense in this particular case, thx for pointing it.

OriginalGriff 9-Feb-18 10:39am

You're welcome!