# $ Cond¶ Conditional evaluation Syntax: $[x;y;z]

Where x evaluates to zero, returns z, otherwise y.

q)$[0b;true;false] false q)$[1b;true;false]
true


Only the first argument is certain to be evaluated.

q)$[1b;true;x:false] true q)x 'x  For brevity, nested triads can be flattened: $[q;a;$[r;b;c]] is equivalent to $[q;a;r;b;c]. An example of Cond in a signum-like function:

q){$[x>0;1;x<0;-1;0]}'[0 3 -9] 0 1 -1  $[q;$[r;a;b];c] is not the same as $[q;r;a;b;c].

Cond with many arguments can be translated to triads by repeatedly replacing the last three arguments with the triad: $[q;a;r;b;s;c;d] is $[q;a;$[r;b;$[s;c;d]]]. So Cond always has an odd number of arguments. (Until V3.6 2018.12.06 – see below.)

These two expressions are equivalent:

q)$[0;a;r;b;c] q)$[r;b;c]


## Even numbers of arguments¶

Since V3.6 2018.12.06 an even number of arguments does not signal 'cond but will return either a result or the generic null.

q)$[1b;true;1b;foo] true q)$[0b;true;1b;foo]
foo
q)$[0b;true;0b;foo] / return generic null q)$[0b;true;0b;foo]~(::)
1b
`