Re^2: map return to array reference

Your map returns a list of file names, but you assign it to a scalar.

That's not technically possible. The map is not returning a list, if it's being used in a scalar context. It just happens that if a map is used in a scalar context, it returns the number of items it would have created had it been used as a list. But it just as easily could return the day of the year instead (although not quite as useful).

I know it may not sound like that's an important difference, but it's really important to understand that you don't ever get a list in a scalar context: in a scalar context, you get whatever the operation is defined to do in a scalar context instead. See On Scalar Context for more details.

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker

Comment on Re^2: map return to array reference

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Re^3: map return to array reference by Limbic~Region (Chancellor) on Jan 24, 2007 at 18:21 UTC
merlyn, It just happens that if a map is used in a scalar context, it returns the number of items it would have created had it been used as a list. But it just as easily could return the day of the year instead (although not quite as useful). Perl 5 uses documentation to explain the implementation so saying "it is documented to return the number of elements in scalar context so it can't just as easily return the day of year instead" doesn't hold much water. Fortunately, Perl 6 is intended to have a complete specification allowing for any number of implementations. This has nothing to do with the issue I wanted to make though. Your wording to me implies that map doesn't actually create the elements it counts. The docs say "In scalar context, returns the total number of elements so generated." which implies to me they are created. I know that there could be an optimization not to actually build up the return list such as happens when map is called in a void context with recent versions. If indeed it is as you say, a doc patch should be submitted to clarify. Cheers - L~R	[reply]

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Re^3: map return to array reference
by Limbic~Region (Chancellor) on Jan 24, 2007 at 18:21 UTC

merlyn

It just happens that if a map is used in a scalar context, it returns the number of items it would have created had it been used as a list. But it just as easily could return the day of the year instead (although not quite as useful).

Perl 5 uses documentation to explain the implementation so saying "it is documented to return the number of elements in scalar context so it can't just as easily return the day of year instead" doesn't hold much water. Fortunately, Perl 6 is intended to have a complete specification allowing for any number of implementations. This has nothing to do with the issue I wanted to make though.

Your wording to me implies that map doesn't actually create the elements it counts. The docs say "In scalar context, returns the total number of elements so generated." which implies to me they are created. I know that there could be an optimization not to actually build up the return list such as happens when map is called in a void context with recent versions. If indeed it is as you say, a doc patch should be submitted to clarify.

Cheers - L~R

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