Since when did we stop using brackets?

[askalottaqs]

I was compiling this piece of code within the SDK of a program, and there was this piece

[code=c]
if (horizontal)
for (y = 0; y < allocy; ++y)
for (x = 0; x < allocx/2; ++x)
{
opus_pixel tmp;
tmp = pixels[y * allocx + x];
pixels[y * allocx + x] = pixels[y * allocx + allocx - x - 1];
pixels[y * allocx + allocx - x - 1] = tmp;
}
[/code]
How come a part of it has brackets and another doesn't, it compiled just fine when i did.

Thanks for any info

[arnaudk]

Strictly speaking, you only need brackets after an 'if' or 'for' statement if you want to execute more than one instruction.

In your case, the 'if' will execute one command, namely the first 'for'. The first 'for' will loop over one command: the second 'for'. The second 'for', however, executes more than one command, hence they are enclosed in brackets, otherwise only the declaration opus_pixel tmp; would be looped over and the remaining commands executed when the loop ends.

[Laharl]

If there is only one statement beneath a for loop/while loop/if block, the braces are optional. In this case, the inner for loop (and its associated block) is the only statement in the outer for loop's block, so the {} are optional. Same is true for the if statement and the outer for loop.

[askalottaqs]

thanks a lot for the replies! i should have known that :S

cheers

[Banfa]

In many places it is considered best practice to always put the braces in.

If you don't put in the braces for nested if statements you can end up with the else clauses associated with the wrong if.

[Ganon11]

Or, a problem I have faced: Originally, I think an If branch only needs one statement inside and neglect the brackets. Later I come back and expand upon that portion of code without putting the brackets in. A compilation error later, I had to add them anyway.

I think it's cleaner just to put them in no matter what.