On Mon, 2002-04-08 at 12:00, bob ackerman wrote: > > On Monday, April 8, 2002, at 06:24 AM, David Gray wrote: > > >> I believe it is as simple as: > >> > >> $count = () = $string =~ /,/g; > > > > I can't seem to get my brain around what's happening here... would > > someone be kind enough to explain? > > > > -dave > > $string =~ /,/g; > > that finds all occurrences of comma in the variable, $string. > > assigns the result in a list context - the anonymous list '()'. > by assigning this to a scalar, $count, we get a value that is the size of > the list, which is the number of matches that the regex made. > that empty list thingy is confusing. > it is more comprehensible if you assign it to a named array: > $count = @arr = $string =~ /,/g; > the matches are in @arr which consists of the comma of the match. > then $count is the size of the array.
With the downside that you have an array that you never use. Using () to force list context is one of those strange little quirks that you just get used to. These days I read () as the array equivalent of scalar(). -- Today is Pungenday the 25th day of Discord in the YOLD 3168 Missile Address: 33:48:3.521N 84:23:34.786W -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
