anyone ever wish there was a clean way to do `else ` `else 0

Question

anyone ever wish there was a clean way to do `else ` `else 0` etc ```return myStr + if myCondition myPostfix else ``` ```return myVal + if myCondition myAddition else 0``` obviously the nicest syntax would probably simple exclude the `else` but that of course does not compile

karelpeeters · Answer

I m frustrated every time I have to write `if c x else ` too

David Silva · Answer

Yep I m not really aware of Java APIs anymore but we could use the ternary operator which some might consider easier to read ``` return myStr + myCondition myPostfix ``` Anyway It might help if you move the suffix computation to its own function man shrugging ``` return myStr + computeSuffix private fun computeSuffix = if myCondition mySuffix else ```

Hullaballoonatic · Answer

i could write a function like ```fun String appendIf cond Boolean postFix String ``` but that s even more wordy in use and less readable

Alowaniak · Answer

Does `myStr + myPostfix takeIf myCondition ` work

Shawn A · Answer

```fun lt T gt Boolean whenTrue value T otherwise T T return if this value else otherwise ``` laughing

Shawn A · Answer

Sometimes simplest is best though I d scratch my head if someone used that < Alowaniak>

Hullaballoonatic · Answer

yeah that would work but it is also equally verbose as an if else expression while being less readable

Alowaniak · Answer

Hmyea I guess so If it were unless I kinda feel like it would make sense natural language wise

Hullaballoonatic · Answer

to be clear the topic isn t about ternary expressions it s about else nothing

Luke · Answer

`fun String emptyIf condition Boolean = if condition else this` So you would have `return myStr + myPostfix emptyIf condition `

Hullaballoonatic · Answer

yeah not a bad idea i ll probably just write ```fun String given condition = if condition this else ```

Hullaballoonatic · Answer

or for the opposite ```fun String unless condition = if condition else this```

Hullaballoonatic · Answer

```fun String unless condition String gt Boolean = if condition this else this``` is nice too

Luke · Answer

The name does not imply that it is an empty String that is returned though I was going for something in between `takeIf` `takeUnless` and `orEmpty `

karelpeeters · Answer

Sometimes if it s part of a bigger string building system you can conditionally append too ```buildString if cond append str ```

Hullaballoonatic · Answer

i think the name of the functions are enough context given they re called alongside concatenation or other operations