Re^2: Return value from a binding operator?

Really useful, thanks.

I'd worked out that /? meant "optional /" (though not why that was relevant) but, as an absolute Perl beginner, I had assumed that the caret slash (^/) meant "a line beginning with a slash" (still not sure why it doesn't), which didn't make any sense, so I obviously need to get to grips with that.

Lots to learn....

Chris

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Re^3: Return value from a binding operator? by dsheroh (Monsignor) on Apr 13, 2013 at 09:50 UTC
The `^` metacharacter has different meanings in different parts of a regex. Normally, it does mean "start of line", as you thought. If the regex were `m!^/!`, then it would match lines beginning with `/`. However, as the first character in a character class, it negates the class, so `[^/]` means "match any character except `/`". (But, again, that's only if it's the first character in the class - `[/^]` means "match either a `/` or a `^`". And `[^/^]` would match any character except those two.)	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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Re^3: Return value from a binding operator?
by dsheroh (Monsignor) on Apr 13, 2013 at 09:50 UTC

^

Normally, it does mean "start of line", as you thought. If the regex were m!^/!, then it would match lines beginning with /.

However, as the first character in a character class, it negates the class, so [^/] means "match any character except /". (But, again, that's only if it's the first character in the class - [/^] means "match either a / or a ^". And [^/^] would match any character except those two.)

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