Re^2: wantarray alternative

I'm really struggling to articulate my question. The real question is: If there's only one value in the return list, how can I return that value in scalar context, not the count of 1?.

sub lowercase {
    my @out = map { lc } @_ ;

    return @out == 1 && ! wantarray ? $out[0]: @out ;
    }
[download]

This code is optimized based on all the answers so far, and doesn't use first either. In fact, I've probably used this construction thousands of times.

My question is based on 3 assumptions:

As mentioned, I prefer to avoid using placeholder variables.
I find it awkward to refer to 3 forms of a variable in a single statement.
If I've used this construction thousands of times, and so have others, why hasn't someone developed a single operator?

I assumed that List::Util would include this functionality. That is, if first or some variant could determine and respond to the wantarray context.

UPDATE (no update)

Comment on Re^2: wantarray alternative Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^3: wantarray alternative by LanX (Saint) on Jul 10, 2013 at 19:53 UTC
> If there's only one value in the return list, how can I return that value in scalar context, not the count of 1? just return the list! In scalar context the last element is taken, so if you are only returning "one value in the return list" thats the same. It's the scalar of an array(!) which counts. UPDATE ok not that easy, avoid scalar context and explicitly put the scalar into a list at LHS. `DB<129> @out=A..C => ("A", "B", "C") DB<130> sub tst { return map{lc} @out } DB<131> @list = tst() => ("a", "b", "c") DB<132> ($scalar) = tst() => "a"` [download] Though we asked several times you haven't clarified which result you expect in in case of scalar context and longer list! Cheers Rolf ( addicted to the Perl Programming Language)	[reply] [d/l]
Re^4: wantarray alternative by tqisjim (Beadle) on Jul 10, 2013 at 20:22 UTC
I'm having trouble following the thread on CB. `sub lowercase { return map { lc } @_ ; } $jim = lowercase( 'Jim' ) ; ## $jim == 1` [download] Not the first, not the last, just the count, right?	[reply] [d/l]
Re^5: wantarray alternative by LanX (Saint) on Jul 10, 2013 at 20:24 UTC
before I answer this, please clarify which is the result expected for `$name = lowercase( 'Jim',"Jeff" ) ;` ??? Cheers Rolf ( addicted to the Perl Programming Language)	[reply] [d/l]
Re^6: wantarray alternative by tqisjim (Beadle) on Jul 10, 2013 at 21:04 UTC
Re^7: wantarray alternative by LanX (Saint) on Jul 10, 2013 at 21:10 UTC
Re^3: wantarray alternative by davido (Cardinal) on Jul 10, 2013 at 19:59 UTC
`return @out == 1 && ! wantarray ? $out[0] : @out;` [download] So if @out has a single element, return '1'. If it contains zero or 2, or more elements, then if "wantarray", return @out, otherwise return the first element. I can't imagine using that once, let alone thousands of times. ;) Update: Woops, "`&&`" is higher on the precedence table than "`?:`" in any language I know of. My mistake. Dave	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^4: wantarray alternative by tqisjim (Beadle) on Jul 10, 2013 at 20:35 UTC
Oops. Thanks for catching that :) `return ( @out == 1 && ! wantarray ) ? $out[0] : @out;` [download]	[reply] [d/l]