Re^2: Confusing syntax error with grep

"However, it also doesn't make sense because you are using grep in a void context. grep is meant to filter a list (reduce some of the contents out of list1 into list2). If you just want to apply a block of code against every item in a list, think of using map or foreach. Most folks here will complain, likewise, if you use map in a void context"

Guess I agree on using map instead of grep. But I find foreach ugly.

  foreach ( @alist ) {
    if ( condition( $_ ) ) {
      do_something( $_ );
    }
  }
[download]

Is far less pretty to the eye than:

   map { condition( $_ ) and do_something( $_ ) } @alist;
[download]

OK, map ( or grep ) has to create a list which is not used. I used to worry about that too. However, given the size of an list in an average problem and the amount of memory that is nowadays present in a computer it is no longer relevant to worry about it. For instance in my case the list holds the names of all files in a single directory. That will be 1 to 1000 elements or so. Compared to the 256 Mbyte that is available in my computer this is peanuts. So I stopped worrying about it and instead worry about making it readable.

Of course it would be even nicer if there was a construct in perl like:

   { do_something( $_) } forall ( @alist ) where { condition( $_ ) }
[download]

Have Fun

Comment on Re^2: Confusing syntax error with grep Select or Download Code

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Re^3: Confusing syntax error with grep by ysth (Canon) on Aug 12, 2004 at 18:48 UTC
Of course it would be even nicer if there was a construct in perl like: `{ do_something( $_) } forall ( @alist ) where { condition( $_ ) }` You mean like: `do_something( $_ ) for grep condition( $_ ), @alist;` ? Update: `condition( $_ ) and do_something( $_ ) for @alist;` is going to be faster because it doesn't have to loop twice.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^4: Confusing syntax error with grep by gumpu (Friar) on Aug 12, 2004 at 19:45 UTC
That comes pretty close yes :) Have Fun	[reply]
Re^3: Confusing syntax error with grep by gumpu (Friar) on Aug 12, 2004 at 18:38 UTC
Come to think of it: `foreach ( @alist ) { if ( condition( $_ ) ) { do_something( $_ ); } }` [download] can be written as `foreach ( @alist ) { condition( $_ ) and do_something( $_ ) }` [download] Which is as pretty as the `map` version. The point about worrying too much about memory still stands though. Have Fun	[reply] [d/l] [select]


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