Update: and as I understand it, the post you linked does not make the claim that it is (though it's not very clear).

Thank you. The idea that it somehow was possible was making me a little shaky with the universe. Existential crisis averted.

I hate this type of code, there is no reason to an if/else using return statements. To give two good examples of accomplishing the same thing but a little bit clearer,

return $some_condition ? $x : $y;
[download]

Or

if ($some_condition) {
  return $x;
}
return $y;
[download]

I use this last example a lot when I am testing success or failure of subroutines,

return 1 if $self->_condition_1_is_true and
            $self->_condition_2_is_true and
            $self->_condition_3_is_true; # etc...
return;
[download]

The extra else statement sort of implies that something special is going to happen when it is not. Better to get rid of it (as far as return statements are concerned).

Uhh ... no. The if-else construct likely means (at least) one of the following:
• I expect the number of statements in either condition to grow. This is particularly true with transient debugging print statements.
• I expect to add one or more elsif clauses.
• I just removed the last elsif clause.

Code is written for humans, not computers. Please remember that.

---

My criteria for good software:

1. Does it work?
2. Can someone else come in, make a change, and be reasonably certain no bugs were introduced?

$_ = <<'}';

if ($some_condition) {
        return $X;
} else {
        return $Y;
}

die "not reached";
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True, but that's not bypassing an if/else. Rather, it's creating a string that happens to contain the words 'if' and 'else'.

$_ = <<'}';

Eh? That's the left shift operator, right? How does that code work?

from perlop:

'Binary "<<" returns the value of its left argument shifted left by the number of bits specified by the right argument. Arguments should be integers.'

but how does it let you fiddle with the if..else statement? (I'm not very good at 'non-obvious' code..)


thanks! why_bird

........
Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others.
-- Groucho Marx
.......