Re: elsif statement not being evaluated

[2teez]

Hi jonagondos,
check this in your code:

if ( $choice = $an2 ) {
 ...
}
elsif ( $choice = $an1 ) {
 ...
}

I suppose you want to use

if ( $choice == $an2 ) {
 ...
}
elsif ( $choice == $an1 ) {
 ...
}

You are assigning to variable $choice, the value of the variable $ans2 using the assignment operator '=' .
So, whatsoever, value inputted was replaced by the value of variable $ans2.
In which case variable $choice value is ALWAYS evaluate to 2 the pre-defined value of variable $ans2, so your elsif(){...} statement is not being evaluated.

[jonagondos]

oh gosh i feel stupid... i was using the assignment operator

[afoken]

Happens to everyone using C or languages inheriting or stealing from C. But you can make the compiler / interpreter complain loudly if you make sure the constant is on the left side of the operator:

if ($answer=42) { # $answer is now always 42
    ...
}


if (42=$answer) { # "Can't modify constant item in scalar assignment"
    ...
}

This won't help when you compare two variables, but in your case, the variables $an1 and $an2 aren't variable, but constant. So make them constant, either by using Readonly or by using constant:

use Readonly;
Readonly my $fortytwo => 42; # note: =>, not =

...

if ($fortytwo=$answer) { # "Modification of a read-only value attempte
+d"
    ...
}

use constant FORTYTWO => 42; # note: =>, not =

...

if (FORTYTWO=$answer) { # "Can't modify constant item in scalar assign
+ment"
    ...
}

Or, in this trivial case, get rid of $an1 and $an2 and use 1 and 2.

I prefer Readonly over constant, because Readonly just makes the variables readonly, with no surprises, whereas constant (ab)uses the perl optimizer and implements the constants as functions returning a constant value. This has some nasty side effects documented in Readonly.

Alexander

[flexvault]

jonagondos,

You're just human and new to Perl!

And when you're an expert, just remember someone else will be 'new to Perl'!

You're on your way...Ed

[Anonymous Monk]

... You're just human and new to Perl! ...

Assumptions assumptions :)