# V6012. The '?:' operator, regardless of its conditional expression, always returns one and the same value.

The analyzer has detected a potential error when using the ternary operator "?:". Regardless of the condition's result, one and the same statement will be executed. There is very likely a typo somewhere in the code.

Consider the following, simplest, example:

    int A = B ? C : C;

In either case, the A variable will be assigned the value of the C variable.

Let's consider the example, where it is not that easy to notice such an error:

    double calc(Box bx, int angle, double scale )
    {
      return Math.tan((angle % 2 == 0 ?
             bx.side_x : bx.side_x) * 0.42) * scale;
    };

This code has been formatted. In reality, though, it may be written in one line, so it's no wonder that a typo may stay unnoticed. The error here has to do with the member of the "side_x" class being used both times. The correct version of this code should look as follows:

    double calc(Box bx, int angle, double scale )
    {
      return Math.tan((angle % 2 == 0 ?
             bx.side_x : bx.side_y) * 0.42) * scale;
    };

This diagnostic is classified as:

CWE-783

You can look at examples of errors detected by the V6012 diagnostic.