Swapping Variables by pattern matching?












0















Assume you have 2 Integer Variables a and b
How would you swap them only if a > b by using a match expression?
If a <= b do not swap the ints.



In an imperative language:



if (a > b){
int temp=a;
a=b;
b=temp;
}


Doing the same in ocaml seems surprisingly hard.



I tried



let swap a b = 
match a,b with
| a,b when a > b -> b,a
| a,b when a <= b -> a,b


I am trying to do this because in the following function call, I want to make sure that x is the bigger of the two variables.










share|improve this question





























    0















    Assume you have 2 Integer Variables a and b
    How would you swap them only if a > b by using a match expression?
    If a <= b do not swap the ints.



    In an imperative language:



    if (a > b){
    int temp=a;
    a=b;
    b=temp;
    }


    Doing the same in ocaml seems surprisingly hard.



    I tried



    let swap a b = 
    match a,b with
    | a,b when a > b -> b,a
    | a,b when a <= b -> a,b


    I am trying to do this because in the following function call, I want to make sure that x is the bigger of the two variables.










    share|improve this question



























      0












      0








      0








      Assume you have 2 Integer Variables a and b
      How would you swap them only if a > b by using a match expression?
      If a <= b do not swap the ints.



      In an imperative language:



      if (a > b){
      int temp=a;
      a=b;
      b=temp;
      }


      Doing the same in ocaml seems surprisingly hard.



      I tried



      let swap a b = 
      match a,b with
      | a,b when a > b -> b,a
      | a,b when a <= b -> a,b


      I am trying to do this because in the following function call, I want to make sure that x is the bigger of the two variables.










      share|improve this question
















      Assume you have 2 Integer Variables a and b
      How would you swap them only if a > b by using a match expression?
      If a <= b do not swap the ints.



      In an imperative language:



      if (a > b){
      int temp=a;
      a=b;
      b=temp;
      }


      Doing the same in ocaml seems surprisingly hard.



      I tried



      let swap a b = 
      match a,b with
      | a,b when a > b -> b,a
      | a,b when a <= b -> a,b


      I am trying to do this because in the following function call, I want to make sure that x is the bigger of the two variables.







      functional-programming ocaml






      share|improve this question















      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Nov 22 '18 at 13:04







      chubbseN

















      asked Nov 22 '18 at 12:57









      chubbseNchubbseN

      184




      184
























          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes


















          2














          Without state, you cannot "swap" the values of the variables since the variables are immutable. Your best bet is to use a tuple and introduce new variables in the scope. Example:



          let diff a b =
          let (min, max) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
          in max - min


          You can of course use the same identifiers and shadow the original variables:



          let diff a b =
          let (a, b) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
          in b - a


          It doesn't really help with readability though.






          share|improve this answer































            3














            One easy way :



             let swap a b = 
            if (a>b) then (b,a)
            else (a,b)


            But this is not equivalent to the C code, your C code is swapping the value of the variable - this is how imperative language are doing.



            In Ocaml, there is no side-effect (except if you use reference to some int). This swap function will return a tuple whose members are always ordered (the first member will be always smaller than the second order).






            share|improve this answer































              0














              Just for reference, if you'd like to swap the values in two refs, it would look like the following:



              let swap a_ref b_ref =
              let a, b = !a_ref, !b_ref in
              a_ref := b;
              b_ref := a
              ;;


              which has the type val swap : 'a ref -> 'a ref -> unit.






              share|improve this answer























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                3 Answers
                3






                active

                oldest

                votes








                3 Answers
                3






                active

                oldest

                votes









                active

                oldest

                votes






                active

                oldest

                votes









                2














                Without state, you cannot "swap" the values of the variables since the variables are immutable. Your best bet is to use a tuple and introduce new variables in the scope. Example:



                let diff a b =
                let (min, max) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                in max - min


                You can of course use the same identifiers and shadow the original variables:



                let diff a b =
                let (a, b) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                in b - a


                It doesn't really help with readability though.






                share|improve this answer




























                  2














                  Without state, you cannot "swap" the values of the variables since the variables are immutable. Your best bet is to use a tuple and introduce new variables in the scope. Example:



                  let diff a b =
                  let (min, max) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                  in max - min


                  You can of course use the same identifiers and shadow the original variables:



                  let diff a b =
                  let (a, b) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                  in b - a


                  It doesn't really help with readability though.






                  share|improve this answer


























                    2












                    2








                    2







                    Without state, you cannot "swap" the values of the variables since the variables are immutable. Your best bet is to use a tuple and introduce new variables in the scope. Example:



                    let diff a b =
                    let (min, max) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                    in max - min


                    You can of course use the same identifiers and shadow the original variables:



                    let diff a b =
                    let (a, b) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                    in b - a


                    It doesn't really help with readability though.






                    share|improve this answer













                    Without state, you cannot "swap" the values of the variables since the variables are immutable. Your best bet is to use a tuple and introduce new variables in the scope. Example:



                    let diff a b =
                    let (min, max) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                    in max - min


                    You can of course use the same identifiers and shadow the original variables:



                    let diff a b =
                    let (a, b) = if a <= b then (a, b) else (b, a)
                    in b - a


                    It doesn't really help with readability though.







                    share|improve this answer












                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer










                    answered Nov 22 '18 at 13:17









                    BergiBergi

                    366k58546872




                    366k58546872

























                        3














                        One easy way :



                         let swap a b = 
                        if (a>b) then (b,a)
                        else (a,b)


                        But this is not equivalent to the C code, your C code is swapping the value of the variable - this is how imperative language are doing.



                        In Ocaml, there is no side-effect (except if you use reference to some int). This swap function will return a tuple whose members are always ordered (the first member will be always smaller than the second order).






                        share|improve this answer




























                          3














                          One easy way :



                           let swap a b = 
                          if (a>b) then (b,a)
                          else (a,b)


                          But this is not equivalent to the C code, your C code is swapping the value of the variable - this is how imperative language are doing.



                          In Ocaml, there is no side-effect (except if you use reference to some int). This swap function will return a tuple whose members are always ordered (the first member will be always smaller than the second order).






                          share|improve this answer


























                            3












                            3








                            3







                            One easy way :



                             let swap a b = 
                            if (a>b) then (b,a)
                            else (a,b)


                            But this is not equivalent to the C code, your C code is swapping the value of the variable - this is how imperative language are doing.



                            In Ocaml, there is no side-effect (except if you use reference to some int). This swap function will return a tuple whose members are always ordered (the first member will be always smaller than the second order).






                            share|improve this answer













                            One easy way :



                             let swap a b = 
                            if (a>b) then (b,a)
                            else (a,b)


                            But this is not equivalent to the C code, your C code is swapping the value of the variable - this is how imperative language are doing.



                            In Ocaml, there is no side-effect (except if you use reference to some int). This swap function will return a tuple whose members are always ordered (the first member will be always smaller than the second order).







                            share|improve this answer












                            share|improve this answer



                            share|improve this answer










                            answered Nov 22 '18 at 13:04









                            Pierre G.Pierre G.

                            3,3281721




                            3,3281721























                                0














                                Just for reference, if you'd like to swap the values in two refs, it would look like the following:



                                let swap a_ref b_ref =
                                let a, b = !a_ref, !b_ref in
                                a_ref := b;
                                b_ref := a
                                ;;


                                which has the type val swap : 'a ref -> 'a ref -> unit.






                                share|improve this answer




























                                  0














                                  Just for reference, if you'd like to swap the values in two refs, it would look like the following:



                                  let swap a_ref b_ref =
                                  let a, b = !a_ref, !b_ref in
                                  a_ref := b;
                                  b_ref := a
                                  ;;


                                  which has the type val swap : 'a ref -> 'a ref -> unit.






                                  share|improve this answer


























                                    0












                                    0








                                    0







                                    Just for reference, if you'd like to swap the values in two refs, it would look like the following:



                                    let swap a_ref b_ref =
                                    let a, b = !a_ref, !b_ref in
                                    a_ref := b;
                                    b_ref := a
                                    ;;


                                    which has the type val swap : 'a ref -> 'a ref -> unit.






                                    share|improve this answer













                                    Just for reference, if you'd like to swap the values in two refs, it would look like the following:



                                    let swap a_ref b_ref =
                                    let a, b = !a_ref, !b_ref in
                                    a_ref := b;
                                    b_ref := a
                                    ;;


                                    which has the type val swap : 'a ref -> 'a ref -> unit.







                                    share|improve this answer












                                    share|improve this answer



                                    share|improve this answer










                                    answered Dec 1 '18 at 17:47









                                    mc10mc10

                                    8,44942851




                                    8,44942851






























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