Re: Pick random item from list of unknown length?

Is there a way to do it more succinctly without creating that temporary array?

Pass a list, not a string ?:)

$_ = <<'__DERP__';
apple
apple,banana,cherry
banana,cherry
apple,cherry
banana
cherry
__DERP__

print "Say ", ( m!([^,]+)!g )[ scalar rand( tr!,!! ) ], "\n";
__END__
Say banana
[download]

Comment on Re: Pick random item from list of unknown length? Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re^2: Pick random item from list of unknown length? by jwkrahn (Abbot) on Mar 01, 2010 at 05:10 UTC
`print "Say ", ( m!([^,]+)!g )[ scalar rand( tr!,!! ) ], "\n";` [download] Counting the commas will give you one less than the numbers of elements in the list so you have to add one to it: `print "Say ", ( /[^,]+/g )[ rand 1 + tr/,// ], "\n";` [download]	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^3: Pick random item from list of unknown length? by Cody Fendant (Hermit) on Mar 01, 2010 at 06:03 UTC
That works with the implicit regex on $_ `$_ = 'apple,banana,cherry'; print "Say ", (m!([^,]+)!g)[ scalar rand 1 + (tr!,!!) ], "\n";` [download] but for some reason, when I do this: `$foo = 'apple,banana,cherry'; print "Say ", ($foo =~ m!([^,]+)!g)[ scalar rand 1 + (tr!,!!) ], "\n";` [download] I only ever get 'apple'.	[reply] [d/l] [select]
Re^4: Pick random item from list of unknown length? by Anonymous Monk on Mar 01, 2010 at 07:17 UTC
That works with the implicit regex on $_ Nope, its implicit m//atch on $_, and you're forgetting about the implicit tr///ansliteration on $_	[reply]
Re^5: Pick random item from list of unknown length? by Cody Fendant (Hermit) on Mar 01, 2010 at 22:28 UTC
Re^3: Pick random item from list of unknown length? by Anonymous Monk on Mar 01, 2010 at 05:13 UTC
Yup, classic one-off error :) Should also probably count newlines :)	[reply]