so ideally the perlish way of testing a value in a hash might be to do something like this: 
if ($myHash{"unknown_if_this_key_exists_yet_or_not"}){...}

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But the reality is that will not work because an entry for the key automatically gets created in the hash if we try to do that, so we end up having to do something like this instead

No it doesn't. Try it. 

   my %h;
   if( $h{"isn't there"} ) { 1 }
   print "$_\n" for keys %h; # does not print anything

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The real question is, do you need to test true when $h{key} is set and false? Then you use exists rather than just a boolean test.

UPDATE re-reply: indeed. Well said.

-Paul

In reply to Re: Best Hash Practices? by jettero
in thread Best Hash Practices? by DamianKaelGreen

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