in reply to Re: Problem unlinking files
in thread Problem unlinking files

Without seeing your code, this is just a guess...

I assume that now you are doing something like this:
opendir(DIR, "$somedir") or die $!;
while(my $dirEntry = readdir(DIR)){
  if(&SOME_TEST($dirEntry)){
    unlink $dirEntry;
    unlink $dirEntryPair;
  }
}
closedir(DIR);

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If in fact this is what you're doing, why don't you try another approach:
opendir(DIR, "$somedir") or die $!;
my @dir = readdir(DIR);
foreach my $dirEntry (@dir){
  if(&SOME_TEST($dirEntry)){
    unlink $dirEntry;
    unlink $dirEntryPair;
    @dir = readdir(DIR);
  }
}
closedir(DIR);

[download]

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Re^3: Problem unlinking files
by graff (Chancellor) on Nov 17, 2007 at 03:45 UTC
    Regarding this part of your suggested code: 
    foreach my $dirEntry (@dir){
  if(&SOME_TEST($dirEntry)){
    ...
    @dir = readdir(DIR);
  }
}

    [download]
    As a rule, it is a Bad Idea™ to alter or replace the contents of an array within a "for" loop that is iterating over that array. Results of doing so may be "unpredictable" at best.

    As it turns out, checking for existence of a file before doing "unlink" is actually unnecessary -- you are not checking the return status from "unlink", and frankly, why care whether you "unlink" a file that is non-existent? That sort of "error" is harmless and could safely be ignored.

[reply]
[d/l]
      Regarding altering the contents of an array while iterating over it...point taken...that was a bad suggestion.

      Regarding the file existence test...the poster didn't really indicate what kind of test was being performed. Since no code was provided, I think we can only assume that he/she has reasons for performing the test and possibly deleting the file based off the results.
[reply]
Re^3: Problem unlinking files
by parv (Parson) on Nov 17, 2007 at 00:53 UTC
    Say, why do you have the ampersand before 'SOME_TEST' -- &SOME_TEST(...) -- but not anywhere else? Followup: why have an ampersand at all (in your proposed code)?
[reply]
[d/l]
      I always use an ampersand as part of function calls. I understand that some people consider this to be unnecessary...but I disagree.
[reply]
        Ok, then why be inconsistent in ampersand usage (in the example you posted)?
[reply]

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