It seems that there are several different takes on what a set-type method should return to indicate success:
  1. Return the previous value (or undef if none). Rationale: Saves performing a 'get' prior to the 'set' in case you need to restore the previous value.
  2. Return the value being set. Rationale: Allows you to check that it got set correctly.
  3. Return the object itself. Rationale: Allows you to chain methods together: $obj->set_xxx($value)->do_something_else()
I wrote Object::InsideOut to do #2, but my rationale at the time wasn't strong.

Is there a concensus as to which of the three is 'best'?

Remember: There's always one more bug.

In reply to 'Set' Method Return Value by jdhedden

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