difference between | and || in my function

Hi ;

I have a code in which

function metCondition = Ambient_Temperature(vector)
metCondition = true; % Initialize
if any((vector) <= -7 | (vector) >= 37.86) %degC
    metCondition = false;
end

what is the difference between

if any((vector) <= -7 | (vector) >= 37.86) %degC

and

if any((vector) <= -7 || (vector) >= 37.86) %degC

and why am i getting an error when using ||.

Thanks

Answer 1

[James Tursa]

The "|" operator is an element-wise operator, intended to be used on arrays element-by-element. The "||" operator is a short-circuiting operator restricted to be used on scalars only. See the doc:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/logical-operations.html

https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/ref/logicaloperatorsshortcircuit.html

For your case, you clearly want the | operator.

Answer 2

[Walter Roberson]

You could use

if any((vector) <= -7) || any((vector) >= 37.86) %degC

|| can only be used when both sides return scalars. || is the "short circuit" OR operator -- it does not bother evaluating the right hand side of the left hand side is already true.