Re^3: Unlinking a file when the file doesnt exist

Unfortunately, $! is garbage in that example.

Deletes a list of files. On success, it returns the number of files it successfully deleted. On failure, it returns false and sets $! (errno):

One of the examples at the perldoc page for unlink shows using $! with warn() in a foreach loop. Why shouldn't $! be used in this case?

Comment on Re^3: Unlinking a file when the file doesnt exist

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Re^4: Unlinking a file when the file doesnt exist by ikegami (Patriarch) on Mar 23, 2011 at 15:47 UTC
I didn't say anything that contradicts that. It's perfectly fine to use `$!` immediately after `unlink` returns an error as I showed in the very post you quoted. In moritz's code, `$!` isn't being used immediately after `unlink` returns an error. In decreasing likeliness of occurrence, It's sometimes used after `stat` (`-e`) successfully returns false. (Can change `$!`.) It's sometimes used after `stat` (`-e`) returns an error. (Always sets `$!`.) It's sometimes used after `unlink` returns success. (!!!)	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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Re^4: Unlinking a file when the file doesnt exist
by ikegami (Patriarch) on Mar 23, 2011 at 15:47 UTC

I didn't say anything that contradicts that. It's perfectly fine to use $! immediately after unlink returns an error as I showed in the very post you quoted.

In moritz's code, $! isn't being used immediately after unlink returns an error. In decreasing likeliness of occurrence,

It's sometimes used after stat (-e) successfully returns false. (Can change $!.)
It's sometimes used after stat (-e) returns an error. (Always sets $!.)
It's sometimes used after unlink returns success. (!!!)

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