... a symbolic place holder that is only valid within the scope of the loop body.

Right, but it is subject to the same scoping rules as any other perl variable, i.e. to the variable it aliased:

use strict;
our $i;

sub bar { print "<$i>" }

for $i (1..3) { bar }    # localized
for my $i (1..3) { bar }
print "'$i'"
__END__
<1><2><3><><><>''
[download]

use strict;
my $i;

sub bar { print "<$i>" }

for $i (1..3) { bar }    # already 'my'
for my $i (1..3) { bar }
print "'$i'"
__END__
<><><><><><>''
[download]

AhHa! In my earlier comment on one of the other threads, I had forgotten that the loop variable is not only lexical and in-scope in the loop's block, but that it is also aliased to the iterator.

Thanks GrandFather. I learn so much (sometimes mulitiple times since I am frequently not a very memory-rich Pilgrim) from the Monestary.

I am curious, however. Since the loop variable is aliased to the iterator (or to the iterator's values?); how does that work when the iterator doesn't appear to have variables, but rather constants (as in the case this thread is addressing (i.e., the (0..5) iterator)? And what would happen if you tried to change the iterator loop variable within the loop block>

By way of an example of that last question:

foreach $i (0..5){
   $i = 9;
   print "$i\n";
}
[download]

Actually I can answer that myself by trying it. No need to answer that part of the question; I don't want to abuse the Monks with things I can easily do my self.

But the question before that last one is still nagging me.

Danke schonn for this and your other reply.

I think I have too much of a tendency to try and explain away magic as a result of regular syntax objects; sometimes, there's just a wizard behind that curtain ;-)

Well, a lot of the magic does just come down to pulling the right levers. ;)

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Perl's payment curve coincides with its learning curve.