Re^7: simple array question

yeah wow, really cool and powerful. I had heard perl is really good for that sort of thing. I'm learning it initially to do a transformation on csv files with an unusual layout to import into a database. I've used sed, awk and some simple scripting before but no serious programming and the perl code can be so compact I can have trouble decoding it. I have a bit to learn.

I can see how you're example works and can execute it. Been trying to apply it to another example but I've got a feeling my array might be a bit messed up - not getting positive results yet.

Thanks for your time.

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Re^8: simple array question by Jim (Curate) on Jan 03, 2011 at 21:58 UTC
I'm learning [Perl] initially to do a transformation on csv files with an unusual layout to import into a database. I encourage you to use the CPAN module Text::CSV. Do not try to write a CSV parser yourself in Perl. (It would be wise to heed this advice even if you weren't a Perl novice as you've told us you are.) Since your first adventure with the Perl programming language is a database application, consider using DBI and DBD::CSV. Welcome to the Perl community!	[reply]
Re^9: simple array question by tw (Acolyte) on Jan 04, 2011 at 03:04 UTC
Thanks Jim for the welcome and the advice. I've been very pleasantly surprised by the amount of help i've received from the monks after only one day. Have had a look at Text::CSV and Text::CSV_XS but did try doing a simple one on my own but i am running into trouble with it so i will take you're good advice.	[reply]
Re^8: simple array question by Marshall (Canon) on Jan 05, 2011 at 23:44 UTC
perl code can be so compact I can have trouble decoding it. Yes, sometimes you can see some incredibly cryptic looking Perl code! That doesn't mean that it is "good code", even if the code actually does work. Space things out and certainly don't hesitate to use multiple small steps instead of one complex one. Fewer characters of code does not necessarily result in faster code, actually the inverse is often true! Besides of course producing working code, the single most important goal is to write code that is clearly understandable. It is more likely to "work" and will certainly be easier to modify later. Save the super tricky looking stuff for some obfuscated code contest. Right from the start, you are tackling some difficult concepts with data structures that contain references to other data structures. There is a certain amount of de-referencing syntax that you will have to learn, but it is actually easier than equivalent implementations in C. Perl can be a wonderfully expressive language that is easy to read, often much, much easier to read than the equivalent C code. Or it can look like a cryptic mess. When I write code using list slice, I usually order the names of the variables on the left hand side to correspond to the order that they will be used in the subsequent code. I adjust the index values to the slice accordingly. List slice can be used with the various CSV parsers, well actually anything that produces a list. This is an important technique to clarify and un-clutter the code. This avoids all these declarations like "DEFINE Date 3", etc.	[reply]