Re: Optional and default parameters for a subroutine

Maybe I'm missing something crucial here, but I've always liked the simplified:

sub my_function {
    my %args = @_;

    # Now take care of default arguments...
    $args{arg1} ||= 'default value1';
    $args{arg2} ||= 'default value2';
}
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It basically evaluates $args{arg1}, and if it evaluates to true, they must have passed it, otherwise, assign the default value.

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Re^2: Optional and default parameters for a subroutine by Joost (Canon) on Aug 29, 2005 at 20:15 UTC
But as you noted, that will only work if your arguments are always true, or that false indicates "default value". The nice thing about using the `%hash = ( default => "value", @_ );` construct (besides being shorter) is that it works for all values. To do the same with explicit testing you'd need `$args{arg1} = 'default value1' unless exists $args{arg1};` [download] "What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: Optional and default parameters for a subroutine by saberworks (Curate) on Aug 29, 2005 at 20:34 UTC
Although I wrote the phrase, "if it evaluates to true," I didn't consider its implications. Thanks for pointing that out.	[reply]