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

MP3::Tag's autoinfo() works as follows:

($title, $track, $artist, $album, $comment, $year, $genre) = $mp3->aut
+oinfo();
# or
$info = $mp3->autoinfo();

[download]

Is there a way to only return specific values from this method? I only want $album and $artist. As I see it, I have to use

($title, $track, $artist, $album) = $mp3->autoinfo();,

which defines $title and $track unnecessarily. Can I accomplish this? I have a feeling it might have something to do with using a hash reference. Not too sure though.

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Get certain information from MP3::Tag's autoinfo()
by Kenosis (Priest) on Aug 07, 2012 at 20:37 UTC

    Here's another option:

    my ( $artist, $album ) = ( $mp3->autoinfo )[ 2, 3 ];

    [download]
[reply]
[d/l]

      Thanks, I rather like this solution!

[reply]

        You're most welcome, thmsdrew! Glad it worked for you...

[reply]
Re: Get certain information from MP3::Tag's autoinfo()
by toolic (Bishop) on Aug 07, 2012 at 19:19 UTC
    From MP3::Tag POD:
    autoinfo() returns an array with the information or a hashref. The hash has four keys 'title', 'track', 'artist' and 'album' where the information is stored. If comment, year or genre are found, the hash will have keys 'comment' and/or 'year' and/or 'genre' too.

    Try: 

    my $info = $mp3->autoinfo();  # hashref
print $info->{album};
print $info->{artist};

    [download]

    See also:

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[d/l]

      So that uses less unnecessary space than my initial way of doing it? Because I'm referencing the hash and not actually declaring all of the variables that I don't need?

[reply]

        You could do this: 

        (undef, undef, $artist, $album) = $mp3->autoinfo();

        [download]

        But I like toolic's solution better.

[reply]
[d/l]

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