Re^2: What is the difference between $array[1] and @array[1]?

Also, @array[1] drives a list context whereas $array[1] would drive scalar context. Hence:

@array[1] = @another_array;
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will behave differently than

$array[1] = @another_array;
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The former will put the index (i.e., the number of elements in @another_array minus one) of the last element in @another_array in the first element of @array; whereas the second will put the number of elements in @another_array in the first element of @array.

Similarly, if you use @array1 as input to a function that behaves differently in list context vs. scalar context, the use of @array[1] will result in list context behavior, whereas $array[1] will result in scalar context behavior (hence, actually, the differences shown above in my example).

ack Albuquerque, NM

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Re^3: What is the difference between $array[1] and @array[1]? by JavaFan (Canon) on Apr 09, 2009 at 14:07 UTC
Similarly, if you use `@array[1]` as input to a function that behaves differently in list context vs. scalar context, the use of `@array[1]` will result in list context behavior, whereas `$array[1]` will result in scalar context behavior What kind of rubbish statement is that? The scalar vs list behaviour of a function is determined by its context, not the sigils of its arguments. Suppose you were right, what behaviour would `func` have below: `func $foo[1], @bar[1]` [download] scalar, or list? The only difference between `$arr[1]` and `@arr[1]` lie in the cases were it can give context: lvalue context. In rvalue context, there isn't one iota of difference (which, IMO, means the warning is utterly bogus if triggered in rvalue context). There is a difference between `$arr[EXPR]` and `@arr[EXPR]`, where `EXPR` isn't a scalar literal; the former gives scalar context to `EXPR`, the latter gives list context. But just where it makes a difference, Perl remains silent (rightly so, of course). Considering this is a warning about something that can be determined by a static inspection of the code (`@{$arr}[1]` doesn't trigger for instance), IMO, such a warning belongs in a linter. Perl::Critic for instance.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: What is the difference between $array[1] and @array[1]? by jethro (Monsignor) on Apr 09, 2009 at 13:27 UTC
No, the first one will put the first element of @another_array into @array. `> perl -e '@a=(5,6,7); @array[1] = @a; print @array;' 5` [download]	[reply] [d/l]