source files: [cx]lsp.[ch]
SYNTAX
(if <conditional-expression> <then-expression> <else-expression> ...)
DESCRIPTION
This operator evaluates <conditional-expression>. If this is nonzero, <then-expression> is evaluated and returned, otherwise the <else-expression>s are evaluated and the result of the last one returned.
Since this is a vector interpreter, this isn't done quite as you might expect at first: <conditional-expression> is used as a bitmask to control evaluation of the other expressions on an element-by-element basis, the <conditional-expression> being bitwise-inverted before being used to control the <else-expression>s. This is mentioned just to re-assure the application programmer that no great efficiency penalty is suffered by using the IF operator ... at worst perhaps a 30% slowdown on particularly fast operations.
See also the UNLESS and WHEN operators.