Dead Code: Expression is Always True

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This article includes content generously donated to OWASP by Fortify.JPG.

Abstract

This expression will always evaluate to true.

Description

This expression will always evaluate to true; the program could be rewritten in a simpler form. The nearby code may be present for debugging purposes, or it may not have been maintained along with the rest of the program. The expression may also be indicative of a bug earlier in the method.

Examples

The following method never sets the variable secondCall after initializing it to true. (The variable firstCall is mistakenly used twice.) The result is that the expression firstCall || secondCall will always evaluate to true, so setUpForCall() will always be invoked.

	public void setUpCalls() {
	  boolean firstCall = true;
	  boolean secondCall = true;
	
	  if (fCall < 0) {
		cancelFCall();
		firstCall = false;
	  }
	  if (sCall < 0) {
		cancelSCall();
		firstCall = false;
	  }
	
	  if (firstCall || secondCall) {
		setUpForCall();
	  }
	}

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