[jira] [Resolved] (LANG-1627) BooleanUtils.xor not behaving as expected with any odd number of true's

["Gary D. Gregory (Jira)" <ji...@apache.org>]

     [ https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LANG-1627?page=com.atlassian.jira.plugin.system.issuetabpanels:all-tabpanel ]

Gary D. Gregory resolved LANG-1627.
-----------------------------------
    Fix Version/s: 3.13.0
       Resolution: Fixed

> BooleanUtils.xor not behaving as expected with any odd number of true's
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>                 Key: LANG-1627
>                 URL: https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/LANG-1627
>             Project: Commons Lang
>          Issue Type: Bug
>    Affects Versions: 3.11
>            Reporter: Alberto Scotto
>            Priority: Major
>             Fix For: 3.13.0
>
>          Time Spent: 1h 40m
>  Remaining Estimate: 0h
>
> Hi,
> I was expecting a xor function that takes a variable number of arguments to *return true if and only if exactly one among all of the arguments is true*, regardless of the number of arguments.
> This holds true given three false's:
> {code:java}
> @Test
> public void threeFalse() {
>  boolean[] bools = new boolean[]{Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.FALSE, Boolean.FALSE};
>  assertFalse(BooleanUtils.xor(bools));
> }{code}
>  
>  It also holds true given 4 true's, as well as for any even number of trues.
> {code:java}
>     @Test
>     public void fourTrue() {
>         boolean[] bools = new boolean[]{Boolean.TRUE, Boolean.TRUE, Boolean.TRUE, Boolean.TRUE};
>         assertFalse(BooleanUtils.xor(bools));
>     }
> {code}
> The above tests pass.
> But with any odd number of true's that doesn't hold anymore:
>  
> {code:java}
> @Test
> public void threeTrue() {
>  boolean[] bools = new boolean[]{Boolean.TRUE, Boolean.TRUE, Boolean.TRUE};
>  assertFalse(BooleanUtils.xor(bools));
> }
> {code}
> This test fails.
> That was totally unexpected to me.
>  But as it turns out, even
> {noformat}
> true ^ true ^ true{noformat}
> evaluates to true. That was unexpected too to me, at a first sight.
> The thing is that xor (I mean the original boolean operator) is a binary operator, so if you want to make it n-ary, one simple solution is to apply it in two by two: ((a ^ b) ^ c) ^ d
>  And that's what is done in the implementation of the method BooleanUtils#xor.
> But that brings to BooleanUtils.xor(true, true, true) == true, and at the same time BooleanUtils.xor(true, true, true, true) == false, which just doesn't sound right to me.
> Whether or not you agree with me that that is a bug of the method, please at least update the Javadoc, because right now it is not providing the user enough information. Look:
> {code:java}
> Performs an xor on a set of booleans.
>          BooleanUtils.xor(true, true)   = false
>          BooleanUtils.xor(false, false) = false
>          BooleanUtils.xor(true, false)  = true
> {code}
>  
> Thanks.
> Cheers



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