True, but it is guarenteed to work even if someone uses print STDOUT stuff;, when select won't.

The case of that where I got bitten is when you pass \*STDOUT to some module and internally it uses

printf { $self->{fh} } "%s\n", 'stuff';
[download]

Which is not a completely uncommon scenario.

Good point! Maybe I'll start using argless select instead of *STDOUT.

I prefer

{
   open local *STDOUT, '>', \$buf;
   ...
}
[download]

open TEMP, '>', \$buf;
my $old_select = select(TEMP);
...
select($old_select);
[download]

since the former restores STDOUT even in the case of exceptions. The former, however, doesn't work if someone has previously called select. I guess the comprehensive solution would be:

{
   my $old_select = select();
   my $handle = on_release { select($old_select); };
   open local *STDOUT, '>', \$buf;
   select(STDOUT);
   ...
}
[download]

It even handles exceptions thrown by signal handlers.

Updated.

my $handle = on_release { select($old_select); };

What is on_release?

---

Examine what is said, not who speaks -- Silence betokens consent -- Love the truth but pardon error.

Lingua non convalesco, consenesco et abolesco. -- Rule 1 has a caveat! -- Who broke the cabal?

"Science is about questioning the status quo. Questioning authority".

In the absence of evidence, opinion is indistinguishable from prejudice.

ReleaseAction