Re: Re: Perl module symbol import versus direct invocation

Okay, but for instance there isn't a new method in the Date::Calc object. Wouldn't it have to auto-instantiate the object before it could call methods on itself? If it's passing a reference, what is it passing a ref to, if no object has been created?

jaybonci@starlite:~/perl$ perl -MDate::Calc -e 'my $foo = new Date::Ca
+lc;'
Can't locate auto/Date/Calc/new.al in @INC (@INC contains: /etc/perl /
+usr/local/lib/perl/5.8.0 /usr/local/share/perl/5.8.0 /usr/lib/perl5 /
+usr/share/perl5 /usr/lib/perl/5.8.0 /usr/share/perl/5.8.0 /usr/local/
+lib/site_perl .) at -e line 1
[download]

--jaybonci

Comment on Re: Re: Perl module symbol import versus direct invocation Download Code

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Re^3: Perl module symbol import versus direct invocation by robartes (Priest) on Feb 26, 2003 at 08:03 UTC
This is no longer in answer to you initial question, as dbp pointed out that Date::Calc does not provide an object interface, but I got curious as to what happens when you call a method on something that is not an object. Lessee... `#!/usr/local/bin/perl -w use strict; package Test; print Test->method(); sub method { my $self=shift; return $self; } __END__ Test` [download] Ah, that's right - you get the package name. I knew this ;). So that answers your question: if no object has been created, calling a function with -> results in the function getting the package name as the first argument. This also explains the error in your script: Date::Calc::Add_Delta_Days gets 'Date::Calc' as the year, hence the usage message. Update: See bart's post below for some more information on -> syntax. CU Robartes-	[reply] [d/l]

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Re^3: Perl module symbol import versus direct invocation
by robartes (Priest) on Feb 26, 2003 at 08:03 UTC

dbp

#!/usr/local/bin/perl -w

use strict;
package Test;
print Test->method();
sub method {
  my $self=shift;
  return $self;
}
__END__
Test
[download]

So that answers your question: if no object has been created, calling a function with -> results in the function getting the package name as the first argument. This also explains the error in your script: Date::Calc::Add_Delta_Days gets 'Date::Calc' as the year, hence the usage message.

Update: See bart's post below for some more information on -> syntax.

CU
Robartes-

[reply]
[d/l]