If you want to appease your supervisor use UNIVERSAL::can()

my $func_name = ( $someCondition ? 'foo' : 'bar' );
my $func_ref = __PACKAGE__->can($func_name);            # or other pac
+kage
$func_ref->($arg1, $arg2);

[download]

I'm sure there is a similar method like can() in Python too.

> What is the name of the idiom

When talking to non-Perlers I'd use the general term "introspection"

Cheers Rolf
(addicted to the Perl Programming Language :)
Wikisyntax for the Monastery FootballPerl is like chess, only without the dice

Update:

->can is also strict and more stable, since you can easily catch missing subs.

It won't work with AUTOLOAD though

In reply to Re: Function name in a variable, can't recall the concept (introspection with ->can ) by LanX
in thread Function name in a variable, can't recall the concept by mpersico

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