Array name contained within a string

AndyB216 has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I have a string that contains the value of the variable name of an array...

@list1 = ("one","two","three","four");
@list2 = ("four","three","two","one");
$name = "list1";
[download]

Is there a quick way to reference the array given the string? (Assume there are multiple arrays and the sting can contain the name of any of them...) I can fairly easlily do an 'if' check and then utilize a reference to the array based on a match, but it seems like there should be a more direct way of accessing the array. The following works just fine, but isn't very elegant:

@list1 = ("one","two","three","four");
@list2 = ("four","three","two","one");
$name = "list1";

if ($name eq "list1") {
    $list_ref = \@list1;
} elsif ($name eq "list2") {
    $list_ref = \@list2;
}
foreach $item (@{$list_ref}) {
    print "$item\n";
}
[download]

Comment on Array name contained within a string Select or Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Array name contained within a string by Zaxo (Archbishop) on Jun 20, 2007 at 15:35 UTC
Wrap your data in a hash: `my %list = { list1 => ["one","two","three","four"], list2 => ["four","three","two","one"] ); my $list_ref = $list{$name};` [download] Your intent could also be satisfied with a symbolic reference dereference, but that would be too dirty. Just so you recognise dirt when you see it, `my $list_ref = \@{$name};` [download] After Compline, Zaxo	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Array name contained within a string by ForgotPasswordAgain (Vicar) on Jun 20, 2007 at 15:29 UTC
You want to use a hash: `my %lists = ( list1 => [("one","two","three","four")], list1 => [("four","three","two","one")], ); my $list_ref = $lists{$name}; ....` [download] You can also use symbolic references, `$list_ref = \@{"list1"}`, but that's ugly.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re: Array name contained within a string by FunkyMonk (Bishop) on Jun 20, 2007 at 16:25 UTC
Similar to other responses, but this one lets you work with your original arrays: `my @list1 = ("one","two","three","four"); my @list2 = ("four","three","two","one"); my %lookup = ( list1 => \@list1, list2 => \@list2 ); my $name = "list1"; print "$_\n" for @{ $lookup{$name} };` [download]	[reply] [d/l]