Is this code better written using ternary conditional or switch or if-else?












0












$begingroup$


When I'm checking some conditions to return one of a small handful of values, I often end up nesting several ternary conditional operators (?:) rather than using a series of if..elseif statements.



As a simple example of this, presume I have:



    public enum StringValueType 
{
Null,
Empty,
Short,
Long
}

public string Value { get; set; }


I'm trying to return the appropriate StringValueType value in a property:



    public StringValueType ValueType => 
Value == null ? StringValueType.Null
: Value == string.Empty ? StringValueType.Empty
: Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short
: StringValueType.Long;


Is this readable? Are there downsides? I'm not sure I've ever come across this in other people's code before.



For comparison, some alternate ways this might be written:



If-else



    public StringValueType ValueType
{
get
{
if (Value == null)
return StringValueType.Null;
else if (Value == string.Empty)
return StringValueType.Empty;
else if (Value.Length < 8)
return StringValueType.Short;
else
return StringValueType.Long;
}
}


Switch+Conditional



    public StringValueType ValueType
{
get
{
switch (MatchedDefinitionName)
{
case null:
return StringValueType.Null;
case "":
return StringValueType.Empty;
default:
return Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short : StringValueType.Long;
}
}
}








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    0












    $begingroup$


    When I'm checking some conditions to return one of a small handful of values, I often end up nesting several ternary conditional operators (?:) rather than using a series of if..elseif statements.



    As a simple example of this, presume I have:



        public enum StringValueType 
    {
    Null,
    Empty,
    Short,
    Long
    }

    public string Value { get; set; }


    I'm trying to return the appropriate StringValueType value in a property:



        public StringValueType ValueType => 
    Value == null ? StringValueType.Null
    : Value == string.Empty ? StringValueType.Empty
    : Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short
    : StringValueType.Long;


    Is this readable? Are there downsides? I'm not sure I've ever come across this in other people's code before.



    For comparison, some alternate ways this might be written:



    If-else



        public StringValueType ValueType
    {
    get
    {
    if (Value == null)
    return StringValueType.Null;
    else if (Value == string.Empty)
    return StringValueType.Empty;
    else if (Value.Length < 8)
    return StringValueType.Short;
    else
    return StringValueType.Long;
    }
    }


    Switch+Conditional



        public StringValueType ValueType
    {
    get
    {
    switch (MatchedDefinitionName)
    {
    case null:
    return StringValueType.Null;
    case "":
    return StringValueType.Empty;
    default:
    return Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short : StringValueType.Long;
    }
    }
    }








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      0





      $begingroup$


      When I'm checking some conditions to return one of a small handful of values, I often end up nesting several ternary conditional operators (?:) rather than using a series of if..elseif statements.



      As a simple example of this, presume I have:



          public enum StringValueType 
      {
      Null,
      Empty,
      Short,
      Long
      }

      public string Value { get; set; }


      I'm trying to return the appropriate StringValueType value in a property:



          public StringValueType ValueType => 
      Value == null ? StringValueType.Null
      : Value == string.Empty ? StringValueType.Empty
      : Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short
      : StringValueType.Long;


      Is this readable? Are there downsides? I'm not sure I've ever come across this in other people's code before.



      For comparison, some alternate ways this might be written:



      If-else



          public StringValueType ValueType
      {
      get
      {
      if (Value == null)
      return StringValueType.Null;
      else if (Value == string.Empty)
      return StringValueType.Empty;
      else if (Value.Length < 8)
      return StringValueType.Short;
      else
      return StringValueType.Long;
      }
      }


      Switch+Conditional



          public StringValueType ValueType
      {
      get
      {
      switch (MatchedDefinitionName)
      {
      case null:
      return StringValueType.Null;
      case "":
      return StringValueType.Empty;
      default:
      return Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short : StringValueType.Long;
      }
      }
      }








      share







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      gregmac is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.







      $endgroup$




      When I'm checking some conditions to return one of a small handful of values, I often end up nesting several ternary conditional operators (?:) rather than using a series of if..elseif statements.



      As a simple example of this, presume I have:



          public enum StringValueType 
      {
      Null,
      Empty,
      Short,
      Long
      }

      public string Value { get; set; }


      I'm trying to return the appropriate StringValueType value in a property:



          public StringValueType ValueType => 
      Value == null ? StringValueType.Null
      : Value == string.Empty ? StringValueType.Empty
      : Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short
      : StringValueType.Long;


      Is this readable? Are there downsides? I'm not sure I've ever come across this in other people's code before.



      For comparison, some alternate ways this might be written:



      If-else



          public StringValueType ValueType
      {
      get
      {
      if (Value == null)
      return StringValueType.Null;
      else if (Value == string.Empty)
      return StringValueType.Empty;
      else if (Value.Length < 8)
      return StringValueType.Short;
      else
      return StringValueType.Long;
      }
      }


      Switch+Conditional



          public StringValueType ValueType
      {
      get
      {
      switch (MatchedDefinitionName)
      {
      case null:
      return StringValueType.Null;
      case "":
      return StringValueType.Empty;
      default:
      return Value.Length < 8 ? StringValueType.Short : StringValueType.Long;
      }
      }
      }






      c#





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      share



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      asked 4 mins ago









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