if (defined $total {$id}) {
    $total {$id} += $amt;
}
else {
    $total {tocredit} += $amt;
}

[download]
Nice article, and a nice piece of code. However, there's still something in this piece of code that can be factored out. 
$total {exists $total {$id} ? $id : "tocredit"} += $amt;

[download]
Or, in a more ALGOLish style: 
(exists $total {$id} ? $total {$id} : $total {tocredit}) += $amt;

[download]
Note also the use of exists instead of defined; when using exists, we avoid having to initialize all the entries in the hash.

Abigail

In reply to Re: Pop quiz: find the bug by Abigail-II
in thread Pop quiz: find the bug by Ovid

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