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From: Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.shell,comp.unix.programmer,comp.lang.misc
Subject: Re: Command Languages Versus Programming Languages
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2024 23:34:22 -0000 (UTC)
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On Tue, 6 Aug 2024 08:04:35 -0000 (UTC), Sebastian wrote:

> Better:
> 
>   a = b ? (c ? d : e) :
>       f ? (g ? h : i) :
>       j;

Better still (fewer confusing parentheses):

    a =
        b ?
            c ? d : e
        : f ?
            g ? h : i
        : j;

> Equivalent Lisp, for comparison:
> 
>   (setf a (cond (b (if c d e))
>                 (f (if g h i))
>                 (t j)))

You can’t avoid the parentheses, but this, too, can be improved:

    (setf a
        (cond
            (b
                (if c d e)
            )
            (f
                (if g h i)
            )
            (t
                j
            )
        ) ; cond
    )