Right Shift

Unsigned vs. Arithmetic

There are two types of Right Shifts, that can be performed on an integer. They are: Unsigned and Arithmetic. LSL currently only supports Arithmetic. The difference between the two modes is how it fills the bits revealed. With the unsigned mode, the revealed bits are always zero; in Arithmetic mode, it duplicates the old top bit to all the new bits. If you take the expression value >> count where value is arithmetically shifted right count bits, then this is the same mathematically as doing value / (2count) or in LSL value / llPow(2.0, count).

How to do Unsigned Right Shifts in LSL

Since LSL does not have a unsigned right shift operator you have to do it yourself. There are two methods for doing this, each with it's advantages and disadvantages.

There is a feature suggestion to add an unsigned right shift operator to LSL: SVC-1171

Method 1

<lsl>(value >> count) & ~((~value) >> count);</lsl> This method is good when count is dynamic. It works because all the bits that need to be turned on will be turned on both sides of the AND but on only one side will the arithmetic right shift cause the sign bit to be extended. The result of the and is a value that is always a unsigned right shift.

Method 2

<lsl>(value >> count) & mask;</lsl> This method can only be used when count is a constant value. You use a constant mask to remove the extended sign bits. Example: (value >> 5) & 0x07FFFFFF As you can see the top five bits have been turned off in the mask value, if you have trouble seeing that, you can just use the lookup table below.

Mask Lookup Table

Shift Mask 0 0xFFFFFFFF 1 0x7FFFFFFF 2 0x3FFFFFFF 3 0x1FFFFFFF 4 0x0FFFFFFF 5 0x07FFFFFF 6 0x03FFFFFF 7 0x01FFFFFF 8 0x00FFFFFF 9 0x007FFFFF 10 0x003FFFFF

Shift Mask 11 0x001FFFFF 12 0x000FFFFF 13 0x0007FFFF 14 0x0003FFFF 15 0x0001FFFF 16 0x0000FFFF 17 0x00007FFF 18 0x00003FFF 19 0x00001FFF 20 0x00000FFF 21 0x000007FF

Shift Mask 22 0x000003FF 23 0x000001FF 24 0x000000FF 25 0x0000007F 26 0x0000003F 27 0x0000001F 28 0x0000000F 29 0x00000007 30 0x00000003 31 0x00000001 32 0x00000000

Example Unsigned Right Shift Function

Here's a function that encapsulates the first method. It allows for a signed 32 bit integer along with a value indicating how far to shift the bits to be executed as an unsigned right shift.

<lsl>// the lsl right shift is an arithmetic right shift, // this means it more closely resembles dividing by a // positive power of two then a unsigned right shift. // To perform a unsigned right shift you need to be clever integer rightShift(integer value, integer count) {

   return (value >> count) & ~((~value) >> count);
   //This works because only once side of the '&' operation
   //Has the sign bit extended by the arithmetic right shift
   //The purpose of flipping of the bits on the right side 
   //ensures this, the subsequent '&' removes the extended
   //sign bits.

}</lsl> Example Usage: <lsl>default {

   state_entry()
   {

       // output should be 268435449
       llSay(DEBUG_CHANNEL, (string)rightShift(-99, 4));

       // before: 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1001 1101
       // after:  0000 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1111 1001
   }

}</lsl>