tel2 has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Hi Monks,

What is a simple way to execute a string as a Perl command, in a Perl script?

For example, let's say I have a scalar assignment like this:

$cmd = '$var1 = 5;';

If I want to execute $cmd, ending up with $var1 containing 5, what's an easy way to do it, (without parsing the string, picking out the variable & value, and making the assignment with an indirect reference).  I've looked at 'eval', and other posts here, but can't find anything appropriate yet.

Thanks.
Tel2

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Executing a string as a Perl command
by ikegami (Patriarch) on May 10, 2011 at 01:34 UTC
[reply]
Re: Executing a string as a Perl command
by tel2 (Pilgrim) on May 10, 2011 at 01:59 UTC

    Thanks guys,

    Before creating this thread, I had made the mistake of testing it like this:

    perl -e '$cmd = "$var1 = 5;";eval $cmd;print $var1'

    but of course that failed because of the double quotes.  So now I've changed it to this:

    perl -e '$cmd = q[$var1 = 5;];eval $cmd;print $var1'

    which works just like a bought one.

    Thanks for your help.

    tel2

[reply]
[d/l]
[select]

      Please try below code

      my $cmd = '$var1 = 5';

eval "$cmd";

print $var1;

      [download]
[reply]
[d/l]
        Why the double quotes? eval $cmd; works fine, no need for an additional stringification.
[reply]
[d/l]
        1. ...and your point (aside from the fact that your code prints "5") is...?
        2. ... and this is better than 

          my $var1 = 5;
print $var1;

          [download]

          how?
[reply]
[d/l]
Re: Executing a string as a Perl command
by educated_foo (Vicar) on May 10, 2011 at 01:29 UTC
    What's wrong with "eval"?
[reply]

Back to Seekers of Perl Wisdom