Why is HTML::Template checking to see if I'm passing in an arrayref to a non-TMPL_LOOP param? Why should HTML::Template care?!? What if I wanted to see "ARRAY=(0x23453245)" as my value for some parameter. I can see a very good reason to do that - creating an online debugger. But, HTML::Template prevents me from doing that.

Furthermore, HTML::Template doesn't check to see if the thing is truly a scalar. All it does is make sure the thing isn't an arrayref. The original version of my formatted number class used a hashref as its implementation. No problems. So, I figured that any implementation would work. And, in fact, any implementation would work ... except for arrayref. THAT is my complaint.

Though, the fact that HTML::Template uses isa() makes sense, cause I "fixed" the problem by blocking isa() from reporting the object is any form of base type. You're right - ref wouldn't've caused the problem. I still stand why my statement - you shouldn't check to see if it is a duck ... you should check to see if it walks, talks, and smells like a duck. Deal with interface, not implementation. And, that can be done pretty simply.

As for me knowing it should be stringified ... HTML::Template should trust me. If I say I want it to use X as a scalar, it should let me. It smacks too much of B&D, the way it does things now.

------
We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

Please remember that I'm crufty and crochety. All opinions are purely mine and all code is untested, unless otherwise specified.

In reply to Re: Re: Why ref() is bad. (It isn't bad, your assumptions are.) by dragonchild
in thread Is "ref $date eq 'ARRAY'" wrong? by bronto

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