Re: Creating hash: Key is unique string in array element, value is number of times it appears

In perl, explicit code like this is not necessary as it would be in something more verbose like java or python. Perl has a concept of autovivification, where new values burst into being when needed. Also, ++ on a false value will return 1.

In the case where $hit[2] is not a key in %genus, requesting the key will create a corresponding value of undef. Incrementing this value will return 1.

so this snippet:

   #old snippet
   if (exists ( $genus {$hit[2]})) {   
       $genus{$hit[2]}++;                 
   }   else{                                        
           $genus{$hit[2]} = 1;           
   }
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can be reduced to this snippet:

#new snippet
$genus{ $hit[2] }++
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Example:

%genus = { } ; #genus is empty
$genus{ foo }; #requests foo entry, and throws away.
                      #genus is now { foo => undef }
$genus{ foo } ++; # genus is now { foo => 1 }
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autovivification

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Re^2: Creating hash: Key is unique string in array element, value is number of times it appears by johngg (Canon) on Oct 26, 2011 at 11:06 UTC
`%genus = { } ; #genus is empty` Let's try that! `knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ perl -Mstrict -wE 'my %genus = {};' Reference found where even-sized list expected at -e line 1. knoppix@Microknoppix:~$` [download] You probably meant to use parentheses rather than curly braces, which construct a reference to an anonymous hash. `knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ perl -Mstrict -wE 'my %genus = ();' knoppix@Microknoppix:~$` [download] I hope this is helpful. Cheers, JohnGG	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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Re^2: Creating hash: Key is unique string in array element, value is number of times it appears
by johngg (Canon) on Oct 26, 2011 at 11:06 UTC

%genus = { } ; #genus is empty

Let's try that!

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ perl -Mstrict -wE 'my %genus = {};'
Reference found where even-sized list expected at -e line 1.
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$
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You probably meant to use parentheses rather than curly braces, which construct a reference to an anonymous hash.

knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ perl -Mstrict -wE 'my %genus = ();'
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$
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I hope this is helpful.

Cheers,

JohnGG

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