Too many 'if' statements?

Question

The following code does work how I need it to, but it's ugly, excessive or a number of other things. I've looked at formulas and attempted to write a few solutions, but I end up with a similar amount of statements.

Is there a type of math formula that would benefit me in this instance or are 16 if statements acceptable?

To explain the code, it's for a kind of simultaneous-turn-based game.. two players have four action buttons each and the results come from an array (0-3), but the variables 'one' & 'two' can be assigned anything if this helps. The result is, 0 = neither win, 1 = p1 wins, 2 = p2 wins, 3 = both win.

public int fightMath(int one, int two) {

    if(one == 0 && two == 0) { result = 0; }
    else if(one == 0 && two == 1) { result = 0; }
    else if(one == 0 && two == 2) { result = 1; }
    else if(one == 0 && two == 3) { result = 2; }
    else if(one == 1 && two == 0) { result = 0; }
    else if(one == 1 && two == 1) { result = 0; }
    else if(one == 1 && two == 2) { result = 2; }
    else if(one == 1 && two == 3) { result = 1; }
    else if(one == 2 && two == 0) { result = 2; }
    else if(one == 2 && two == 1) { result = 1; }
    else if(one == 2 && two == 2) { result = 3; }
    else if(one == 2 && two == 3) { result = 3; }
    else if(one == 3 && two == 0) { result = 1; }
    else if(one == 3 && two == 1) { result = 2; }
    else if(one == 3 && two == 2) { result = 3; }
    else if(one == 3 && two == 3) { result = 3; }

    return result;
}

Answer 1

Instead do something like this

   public int fightMath(int one, int two) {
    return Calculate(one,two)

    }


    private int Calculate(int one,int two){

    if (one==0){
        if(two==0){
     //return value}
    }else if (one==1){
   // return value as per condtiion
    }

    }

Answer 2

Try it with switch casing...

Take a look here or here for more info about it

switch (expression)
{ 
  case constant:
        statements;
        break;
  [ case constant-2:
        statements;
        break;  ] ...
  [ default:
        statements;
        break;  ] ...
}

You can add multiple conditions(not simultaneously) to it and even have a default option where no other cases have been satisfied.

PS: Only if one condition is to be satisfied..

If 2 conditions arise simultaneously.. I don't think switch can be used. But you can reduce your code here.

Java switch statement multiple cases

Answer 3

You may use a switch case instead of mutiple if

Also to mention that since you have two variables then you have to merge the two variables to use them in switch

Check this Java switch statement to handle two variables?

Answer 4

As I draw a table between one/two and the result, I see one pattern,

if(one<2 && two <2) result=0; return;

The above would cut down atleast 3 if statements. I don't see a set pattern nor I am able to glean much from the code given - but if such logic can be derived, it would cut down a number of if statements.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

The shortest and still readable solution:

static public int fightMath(int one, int two)
{
    if (one < 2 && two < 2) return 0;
    if (one > 1 && two > 1) return 3;
    int n = (one + two) % 2;
    return one < two ? 1 + n : 2 - n;
}

or even shorter:

static public int fightMath(int one, int two)
{
    if (one / 2 == two / 2) return (one / 2) * 3;
    return 1 + (one + two + one / 2) % 2;
}

Doesn't contain any "magic" numbers ;) Hope it helps.

Answer 6

I'd use a Map, either a HashMap or a TreeMap

Especially if the parameters are not on the form 0 <= X < N

Like a set of random positive integers ..

Code

public class MyMap
{
    private TreeMap<String,Integer> map;

    public MyMap ()
    {
        map = new TreeMap<String,Integer> ();
    }

    public void put (int key1, int key2, Integer value)
    {
        String key = (key1+":"+key2);

        map.put(key, new Integer(value));
    }

    public Integer get (int key1, int key2)
    {
        String key = (key1+":"+key2);

        return map.get(key);
    }
}