The Switch Statement

[PIEBALDconsult]

Yeah, what they said. Or, start using Dictionary<sometype,delegate> to simulate switches: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/tips/DictorionaryEnumDelegate.aspx[^]

[Mark Salsbery]

IMO it comes down to the resulting compiled code. The ability of a computer to branch based on a decision is powerful, and taken for granted these days. So, when designing a high level language, where you want the ability to branch based on a list of comparisons, what are the alternatives? One can do it explicitly with if/then/else but that can be inefficient for the decision at the end of a big list. To avoid that inefficiency some kind of look-up table may be more efficient. Theoretically, using the switch semantics, a good compiler could recognize a big list and produce more efficient branching code - possibly using a look-up table of some kind. The restrictions of the switch statement allows this. Here's a C++ example ( completely OT for this forum, but demonstrates my point):

int i = 6;

if (i == 0)
	TRACE0("0");
else if (i == 1)
	TRACE0("1");
else if (i == 2)
	TRACE0("2");
else if (i == 3)
	TRACE0("3");
else if (i == 4)
	TRACE0("4");
else if (i == 5)
	TRACE0("5");
else if (i == 6)
	TRACE0("6");
else 
	TRACE0("n");

switch (i)
{
case 0:
	TRACE0("0");
	break;
case 1:
	TRACE0("1");
	break;
case 2:
	TRACE0("2");
	break;
case 3:
	TRACE0("3");
	break;
case 4:
	TRACE0("4");
	break;
case 5:
	TRACE0("5");
	break;
case 6:
	TRACE0("6");
	break;
default:
	TRACE0("n");
	break;
}

The resulting if/else machine code does six comparisons to get to the resulting branch. The resulting switch machine code does one comparison to see if i is > 6, and if it isn't, branches directly to the correct case using only TWO machine code instructions (via a look-up table)

0041D9F5 mov ecx,dword ptr [ebp-0AE4h]
0041D9FB jmp dword ptr (41F8CCh)[ecx*4]

switch may be ugly in source code, but the compiler can certainly take advantage of it to produce efficient code. And I don't buy the "purist programmer" arguments...what purist would use C# (or any other higher level language)? ;) It still all comes down to knowing the language you're using and choosing the right instructions for the given situation... Mark

Mark Salsbery Microsoft MVP - Visual C++ :java:

[Jammer 0]

Great example! Thanks for this ...

Jammer My Blog | Article(s)

[Mark Salsbery]

Heh no problem. I work alone at home - I don't get to have these water-cooler discussions with colleagues :) Cheers!

Mark Salsbery Microsoft MVP - Visual C++ :java:

[Jammer 0]

heh ... they can be really beneficial! Although I'm still at a stage in learning .NET where I come away with more questions than answers! Doh!

Jammer My Blog | Article(s)

[carbon_golem]

Not to beat the "dead horse" here, but I didn't see anyone bring up the induced complexity that the switch adds. See complexity definition here.[^] The higher the complexity score, the more trouble maintenance and testing become. The switch is very efficient at adding additional paths in the code (cases - 1). While yes, the readability is there, one could argue at the same time a certain amount of flexibility is lost at the expense. There are more or less feasible ways around using a switch or bank of if/else altogether - using the chain-of-responsibility pattern has worked for me in some situations. And certainly it has made unit testing easier. I might correct your colleague's statement and submit that maybe the architecture isn't "wrong" by using a switch, it just might be pointing out that there are higher quality alternatives. Scott P.

"Simplicity carried to the extreme becomes elegance."
-Jon Franklin

[led mike]

Jammer wrote:

What do other folks think of this?

It's not Object Oriented and the following is a section of my own notes to myself (quotes ) from Kent Becks book "Implementation Patterns"Conditional (page 36)

If/then and switch statements are the simplest form of
instance –specific behavior….

The more paths through a program the less likely the program
is to be correct….The proliferation of conditionals reduces reliability….This
problem is compounded when conditionals are duplicated.

These problems can all be eliminated by converting the
conditional logic to messages, either with subclasses or delegation.

---

Last modified: 5hrs 28mins after originally posted --

led mike

[led mike]

carbon_golem wrote:

there are higher quality alternatives.

Agreed. See my post below, that you just beat to the wire! Damn you! :laugh:

led mike

[realJSOP]

Well, your colleague is a moron, and it sound s like his father should have used a switch on him more often when he was a child.

"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

[realJSOP]

carbon_golem wrote:

it just might be pointing out that there are higher quality alternatives.

You mean like "goto"? LOLOL

"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass..." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
-----
"...the staggering layers of obscenity in your statement make it a work of art on so many levels." - Jason Jystad, 10/26/2001

[Jammer 0]

Whoa ... it wasn't my colleague that stated this ... he was passing on things he'd read/heard ... it was a light-hearted conversation! He is far from a Moron as well, a very good developer in fact.

Jammer My Blog | Article(s)

[Guffa]

Jammer wrote:

He said that he'd read/heard more than once that if you find yourself using a switch you can more or less be assured that its because you've done something wrong in your architecture elsewhere.

That probably comes from someone who don't know how to use a switch properly... What seems more elegant? This:

int result;
SomeClass.SomeEnum value = SomeClass.GetValue();
if (value == SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option1 || value == SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option2) {
result = 1;
} else if (value == SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option3) {
result = 2;
} else if (value == SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option4 || value == SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option5 || value == SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option6) {
result = 3;
} else {
result = 4;
}

or this:

int result;
switch (SomeClass.GetValue()) {
case SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option1:
case SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option2: result = 1; break;
case SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option3: result = 2; break;
case SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option4:
case SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option5:
case SomeClass.SomeEnum.Option6: result = 3; break;
default: result = 4; break;
}

Besides, the switch solution is faster.

Despite everything, the person most likely to be fooling you next is yourself.

[Guffa]

Actually, if you have more than just a few case labels in a switch (four IIRC), it's implemented using a dictionary.

Despite everything, the person most likely to be fooling you next is yourself.

[Mark Salsbery]

:omg:

Mark Salsbery Microsoft MVP - Visual C++ :java:

[Colin Angus Mackay]

It depends on the situation. There are definitely situations where I've seen needless use of switch statements, and others that would have benefitted from a switch statement. If you find that you are switching on a specific property of a class a lot within that class then it can be an indication that you might want to refactor the code into a class hierarchy. Each derived class handles a specific case that was in the switch statement.

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[led mike]

Wow what a mess. Fixed. Thanks

[PIEBALDconsult]

Yeah, more than five, as you showed back in July. I keep forgetting that. On the other hand, using your own Dictionary gives you more flexibility and the ability to use it in multiple places (if you can think of such a use).

[N a v a n e e t h]

As others said, switch statement has many benefits. So use it wisely. You should read something about method cohesion[^].

Navaneeth How to use google | Ask smart questions

[Vengatachalapathy Palanivel]

Switch case is better in performance than if-else-if ladder. While using switch case, compiler optimizes the code for the fastest execution. you can check this Url also: http://www.blackwasp.co.uk/SpeedTestIfElseSwitch.aspx[^]

Regards, Vengat P

[Mark Salsbery]

That was my point[^]

Mark Salsbery Microsoft MVP - Visual C++ :java: