Re^2: Workings of UNIVERSAL::can

The algorithm is a simple symbol table search in method resolution order.

Hi :D

Actually :) Method resolution order is not an algorithm (or an actual order) or any more than symbol table search is an algorithm.

Or put another way, a sort-algorithm is not an actual algorithm, but a bubble-sort-algorithm is an sort-algorithm; is an algorithm.

Perl's default method-resolution-order, algorithm , is a linear-depth-first-search.

You can change that in modern perls with the mro pragma to C3 linearization

Comment on Re^2: Workings of UNIVERSAL::can

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Re^3: Workings of UNIVERSAL::can by Somni (Friar) on Jul 07, 2011 at 00:12 UTC
The fact that mro is changeable is why I said method resolution order, and not a specific order. Taken individually, each of the items is not an algorithm. Taken together (symbol table search in method resolution order), it is an algorithm, though ill-specified due to the variable of which mro is in effect.	[reply]
Re^4: Workings of UNIVERSAL::can by Anonymous Monk on Jul 08, 2011 at 08:38 UTC
Taken individually, each of the items is not an algorithm. Taken together (symbol table search in method resolution order), it is an algorithm, though ill-specified due to the variable of which mro is in effect. No, taken together, it is still not an algorithm. An algorithm is well-defined by definition. Also, its just repeating the question back at the original poster. The answer might work for "how do I print $foo?" (well, you print $foo;), but not here.	[reply]