shift operator formulae

[gayathri mukkavilli]

With out converting integers into binary can we use the shift operator evalutions using the formulas below always? or better convert into binary and use the shift operators. Coverting into binary is time consuming I guess in the exam.

x >>y = (int) x/2^y (if x is greater than y else always zero)
-x >>y = (int) -x/2^y (if x is greater than y else always -1)
x << y = x * 2^y
-x << y = -x * 2^y
x >>>y = x/2^y

If so, what if y is negative? and (-x >>>y)?

[marc weber]

For type int, only the last 5 bits of the right operand's value is used. Therefore, the amount of an int shift will always be between 0 and 31, even if the right operand is negative. For type long, the last 6 bits are used, so a long shift is always between 0 and 63.

For x>>>y, if x is positive, then the result is the same as x>>y. But if x is negative, then the result is (x>>y) + (2<<~y).

See section 15.19 of the Java Language Specification:
http://java.sun.com/docs/books/jls/second_edition/html/expressions.doc.html#5121
[ March 30, 2005: Message edited by: marc weber ]

[gayathri mukkavilli]

Does it mean the result of int shift is always between 0 and 31 and the result of long shift is always between 0 and 63?
if so, -12 >>> 8 is giving as 16777215.

I didn't get your point. Can you explain this more clearly?

Thank you very much for your support

[marc weber]

Originally posted by gayathri mukkavilli:
Does it mean the result of int shift is always between 0 and 31 and the result of long shift is always between 0 and 63? ...

It's the amount of the shift -- not the result of the operation -- that's within these bounds.

For example, consider 100>>35. Here the right operand is 35. But since these are ints, only the last five bits of the 35 will be used, so instead of binary 100011, we have binary 11, which is 3. So 100>>35 is equivalent to 100>>3.

[ankur rathi]

I don't think you should mug it like this ...
And one more thing shift operators no body use in projects ...

[marc weber]

I think you're best off converting to binary.

For a quick way to do this, see the following thread:
https://coderanch.com/t/248524/java-programmer-SCJP/certification/Bits-Conversion