can't use string as an array ref

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

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Re: can't use string as an array ref by BrowserUk (Patriarch) on Mar 26, 2015 at 14:01 UTC
`$server_list_hash{$server}` must be returning the string '1', rather than an array reference as you're expecting. With the rise and rise of 'Social' network sites: 'Computers are making people easier to use everyday' Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error. "Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority". I'm with torvalds on this In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice. Agile (and TDD) debunked	[reply] [d/l]
Re: can't use string as an array ref by Preceptor (Deacon) on Mar 26, 2015 at 15:03 UTC
Most likely this means you've inserted an array into a hash like this: `my $somearray = qw ( servername ); $server_list_hash{$server} = @somearray;` [download] Which hasn't done what you thought, because it's done an assignment in a scalar context, which means it's assigned the number of elements in @somearray. What you would actually need to do would be: `$server_list_hash{$server} = [@somearray];` [download] Be careful with something like: `$server_list_hash{$server} = \@somearray;` [download] Because this will break if you reuse @somearray (e.g. it's not lexically scoped) because you'll be using the same reference each time	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^2: can't use string as an array ref by fionbarr (Friar) on Mar 26, 2015 at 17:18 UTC
`$server_list_hash{$server}[ $server_count{$server}++ ] = "$role\|$cto\|$ +app_manager\|$location";` [download] there are duplicate servers and I'm trying to put them in an array	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: can't use string as an array ref by kennethk (Abbot) on Mar 26, 2015 at 17:51 UTC
Are you sure that's the only write access happening to your hash? This sounds like a good time for peppering your script with print statements to see when the corruption happens. `print "$server_list_hash{$server}\n";` #11929 First ask yourself `How would I do this without a computer?' Then have the computer do it the same way.	[reply] [d/l]
Re: can't use string as an array ref by GotToBTru (Prior) on Mar 26, 2015 at 14:33 UTC
Can you honestly expect an informed answer to this question without providing any information on what %server_list_hash contains? This is what Data::Dumper is for, or use the debugger to inspect the contents of variables just before the point of unexpected behavior. The former has the advantage that you could easily include that information in your post. Dum Spiro Spero	[reply]
Re^2: can't use string as an array ref by LanX (Saint) on Mar 26, 2015 at 15:15 UTC
yeah Basic debugging checklist nr.4, and fionbarr is in his 10th monkyear already. Cheers Rolf _{(addicted to the Perl Programming Language and ☆☆☆☆ :)} PS: Je suis Charlie!	[reply]