C++ xor_eq

The xor_eq keyword in C++ is an alternative representation for the bitwise XOR assignment operator (^=). It is part of the set of alternative tokens provided by C++ for operators, often used to improve code readability or compatibility with certain keyboard layouts.

The xor_eq operator performs a bitwise XOR operation between two values and assigns the result to the left operand.

Syntax

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operand1 xor_eq operand2;
operand1
The variable on which the XOR operation is performed and to which the result is assigned.
operand2
The value to XOR with operand1.
The result
The result of the XOR operation is stored in operand1.

Examples

Example 1: Using xor_eq for Bitwise XOR Assignment

In this example, we will show how to use xor_eq keyword to modify a variable using the XOR assignment operation.

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#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    int a = 10;   // Binary: 1010
    int b = 6;    // Binary: 0110

    a xor_eq b;   // Perform XOR and assign the result to 'a'

    cout << "Result of a xor_eq b: " << a << endl; // Output: 12 (Binary: 1100)
    return 0;
}

Output:

Result of a xor_eq b: 12

Explanation:

  1. a = 10 (Binary: 1010) and b = 6 (Binary: 0110).
  2. The XOR operation compares each bit of a and b. If the bits are different, the result is 1; otherwise, it is 0.
  3. 1010 XOR 0110 = 1100 (Decimal: 12).
  4. The result 1100 is assigned back to a.

Example 2: Swapping Two Variables Using xor_eq

This example shows how to use xor_eq to swap the values of two variables without using a temporary variable.

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#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    int x = 5, y = 9;

    x xor_eq y;   // Step 1: x = x XOR y
    y xor_eq x;   // Step 2: y = y XOR x
    x xor_eq y;   // Step 3: x = x XOR y

    cout << "After swapping: x = " << x << ", y = " << y << endl;
    return 0;
}

Output:

After swapping: x = 9, y = 5

Explanation:

  1. Initially, x = 5 (Binary: 0101) and y = 9 (Binary: 1001).
  2. Step 1: x xor_eq y results in x = 0101 XOR 1001 = 1100.
  3. Step 2: y xor_eq x results in y = 1001 XOR 1100 = 0101 (original value of x).
  4. Step 3: x xor_eq y results in x = 1100 XOR 0101 = 1001 (original value of y).
  5. The values of x and y are successfully swapped without a temporary variable.

Key Points about xor_eq keyword

  1. The xor_eq keyword is equivalent to ^= and is used for bitwise XOR assignment operations.
  2. It modifies the value of the left operand by performing a bitwise XOR operation with the right operand.
  3. xor_eq is one of the alternative tokens in C++ for operator representation.
  4. While functional, xor_eq is rarely used in modern C++ code, as ^= is more commonly preferred for its conciseness.