my ($filename) = "/path/to/file"; 
    my ($filemode) = "immolate"; 
    my ($opmode)   = "seek"; 
    my ($filetype) = "image/gif";

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As a matter of style (and occasionally necessity), I leave off the parens on those leftsides if the right side needs to be evaluated in a scalar context. Otherwise, I might wonder which one you meant of: 
my ($filemode) = ("immolate"); # list context

[download]
or 
my $filemode = "immolate"; # scalar context

[download]
And yes, it really does matter when you get into subroutine arg grabbing, like 
my $count = @_; # get the length

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or should that have been 
my ($count) = @_; # get the first arg

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So, make your left side and your right side agree, and I don't have to scratch my head wondering where you are headed.

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker

In reply to scalar my vs list my by merlyn
in thread my $var = ''; vs. use constant VAR => ''; by antihero

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