Re^3: extract only smallest numbers

...

if (!exists $hash{$name}) {
    # unconditionally assign the first entry
    $hash{$name} = $code;
} else {
    # assign further entries only if smaller... 
    $hash{$name} = $code if $code < $hash{$name};
}
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Comment on Re^3: extract only smallest numbers Download Code

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Re^4: extract only smallest numbers by oxone (Friar) on Jul 21, 2007 at 21:49 UTC
Yes indeed. Or more concisely, just replace your 1 line: `$hash{$name} = $code;` [download] With this single line instead: `$hash{$name} = $code if !defined $hash{$name} \|\| $code < $hash{$name};` [download] ie. You assign the latest value only if it's the first value for that key name, or if it's smaller than any previous value so far. I'd recommend `defined` over `exists` in this case. If the hash key somehow did exist with an undefined value, the `exists` test would let it through, and then you'd then get a warning (under `use warnings`) when you got to the 'less than' comparison. Using `defined` instead will avoid this potential banana skin, and give you the correct outcome.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
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