Is using $#array Frowned on?

doubleqq has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hi Monks,

I recently used the '$#array' operator in a script with great success. However reading in the 'Programming Perl' book it says:

"$#, do not use this; user printf instead".

I think I might be getting my operators confused here, since I am not using the output format for printed numbers (I think). But as for finding the last index in an array, the '$#array' was invaluable. Is this practice generally considered poor form? If not recommended to use, what would be a better way?

Thanks!

Comment on Is using $#array Frowned on?

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Re: Is using $#array Frowned on? by shmem (Chancellor) on Feb 13, 2014 at 20:54 UTC
The special variable `$#` (see perlvar), which got deprecated and is not longer supported, has nothing to do with the `$#array` expression which denotes the last index of `@array`. It might well be that `$#` got deprecated because of such confusions... perl -le'print map{pack c,($-++?1:13)+ord}split//,ESEL'	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: Is using $#array Frowned on? by Kenosis (Priest) on Feb 13, 2014 at 21:00 UTC
Good `$#`/`$#array` distinction.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Is using $#array Frowned on? by Kenosis (Priest) on Feb 13, 2014 at 20:48 UTC
`$#array` is perfectly acceptable for getting the value of `@array`'s last index (i.e., the subscript of the last element).	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Is using $#array Frowned on? by choroba (Cardinal) on Feb 13, 2014 at 21:32 UTC
The only place where I would frown on a `$#array` would be in the `+ 1` context where `@array` might be more appropriate. It depends on the semantics - `for 0 .. $#array` is, at least for me, the best way how to iterate over indices, when iterating over the members themselves is not possible. لսႽ† ᥲᥒ⚪⟊Ⴙᘓᖇ Ꮅᘓᖇ⎱ Ⴙᥲ𝇋ƙᘓᖇ	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Is using $#array Frowned on? by toolic (Bishop) on Feb 13, 2014 at 20:57 UTC
perldiag `perl -Mdiagnostics -e '$# = 1' $# is no longer supported at -e line 1 (#1) (D deprecated, syntax) The special variable $#, deprecated in olde +r perls, has been removed as of 5.9.3 and is no longer supported. Yo +u should use the printf/sprintf functions instead.` [download]	[reply] [d/l]
Re: Is using $#array Frowned on? by eyepopslikeamosquito (Archbishop) on Feb 14, 2014 at 21:06 UTC
An example of where you should avoid the `$#array` notation is when counting from the end of an array (see Perl Best Practices, chapter 5, "Use negative indices when counting from the end of an array"). For example, you should replace: `$frames[$#frames ] = $active{top}; $frames[$#frames-1] = $active{prev}; $frames[$#frames-2] = $active{backup};` [download] with: `$frames[-1] = $active{top}; $frames[-2] = $active{prev}; $frames[-3] = $active{backup};` [download] because it is easier on the eye and avoids the undesirable repetition of the `frames` variable name (DRY).	[reply] [d/l] [select]