in reply to Re^7: Split output by tabs (bogus best practice)
in thread Split output by tabs

The single-letter variable was for the purposes of the example. The example still holds with a more descriptive name--is $results_file a filehandle or a string containing the name of a file?

More knowledge about the ambiguities of Perl is always a good thing. I don't see this practice as a replacement for knowing how things work. It just adds clarity. Braces are a nice visual cue that make a filehandle variable instantly recognizable as a filehandle.



When's the last time you used duct tape on a duct? --Larry Wall
  • Comment on Re^8: Split output by tabs (bogus best practice)

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Re^9: Split output by tabs (bogus best practice)
by shmem (Chancellor) on Nov 13, 2012 at 16:03 UTC
    Braces are a nice visual cue that make a filehandle variable instantly recognizable as a filehandle.

    Guessed that I could whip up an example where it isn't? 

    qwurx [shmem] ~ > perl -le '$h = {foo => "42"}; print {$h} "foo"'
Not a GLOB reference at -e line 1.
qwurx [shmem] ~ >

    [download]

    Aha.

    sort {byid} @list;
map {$_->()} @stuff;
print {$fh||$ofh} @vars;

    [download]

    Braces are no nice visual cue! They mean and do something. Using them uncalled for is either decorative or cargo cult programming.

    Note that I'm not averse to the odd drink which is style, I just don't call "best practice" any blurf which doesn't hold water.

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      You showed an example of how the use of braces forces Perl to try to interpret something as a file handle and to complain that $h is not a file handle (just not as clearly as it might).

      That looks like evidence in support of the claimed "best practice".

      - tye        

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        That looks like evidence in support of the claimed "best practice".

        Well, er... sh*t. I blew that one, it seems. Sigh..:)

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