I want to know if the way perl handle constants are similar the way C handles defines

Nope. Perl handles them (more or less) the way more recent C compilers handle inline functions. When you use constant FOO => 1;, a subroutine is created in your current package like this:

sub FOO () { 1 }

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That sort of subroutine (note empty prototype and simple return value) will be considered for inlining. You can then use it anyplace you could put a subroutine, which does not include string interpolation (which is what hash lookups are).

OTOH, a #DEFINE in C is done by the preprocessor, which modifies the source code before the compiler does anything with it.

"There is no shame in being self-taught, only in not trying to learn in the first place." -- Atrus, Myst: The Book of D'ni.

In reply to Re: Question related to the use of constants by hardburn
in thread Question related to the use of constants by danielcid

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