I want to store a subroutine for sorting (a USERSUB) in one package and use it in another. My problem seems to be that the variables $a and $b are global to the package they are in and don't seem to be picked up across package boundaries. Here's what I wrote:

foreach ( sort gs::long_strings_first(), @$raw_hash_keys_ar ) {
    #do_stuff;
}

package gs;
sub long_strings_first {
    return ( 0 ) unless defined $b;

    length $b <=> length $a
            ||
        lc $b cmp lc $a
}

[download]
but the variables were processed in alphabetical order, e.g.:

'All-American Residential Framing'
'Builders Assistant'
'Colson Plumbing'
'Electric Systems'
'Greenways'
'P & L Lighting'
'Regis Co.'
'Robert E. Matthews'

[download]
When I apply the logic directly (within braces following 'sort') I get the desired 'longest to shortest' sort of the terms.

foreach ( sort {
    length $b <=> length $a
           ||
    lc $b cmp lc $a
                 } @$raw_hash_keys_ar ) {

    # do stuff;
}

# Processed as:
'All-American Residential Framing'
'Robert E. Matthews'
'Builders Assistant'
'Electric Systems'
'Colson Plumbing'
'P & L Lighting'
'Regis Co.'
'Greenways'

[download]

Thanks.

In reply to Accessing $a and $b of 'sort' across package boundaries by ff

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