Re: What does return() mean?

[hippo]

Like all Perl functions, return is documented. Have a read of that and see if it answers your questions.

[yistaaa]

It doesn't answer my question... I want to know what return () does... For example, if I'm correct, return [] returns an array ref right? So, does return () return a subroutine ref?

[davido]

It does the same as return;, which is an empty list in list context, and the return value evaluates to undef in scalar context.

[AnomalousMonk]

If you actually want to return a code/subroutine reference see sub or the  \ operator (see Symbolic Unary Operators in perlop)

c:\@Work\Perl>perl -wMstrict -le
"sub S { return sub { print qq{hiya $_[0]}; }; }
 ;;
 my $coderef = S();
 $coderef->('sailor')
"
hiya sailor

[Anonymous Monk]

It doesn't answer my question... I want to know what return () does... For example, if I'm correct, return [] returns an array ref right? So, does return () return a subroutine ref?

Yes,  [ ] is an array ref, and no () is not a reference of any kind (not a subroutine ref)

References are explained in perlreftut#Making References , references quick reference

These are all the same (as documente in return, they return nothing (empty list) or undef , depending on context (list or scalar) )

sub roy { return;   }
sub roy { return    }
sub roy { return(); }
sub roy { return()  }
sub roy { return ()  }

These are all the same (return an array ref)

sub roy { return [];  }
sub roy { return []   }
sub roy { return([]); }
sub roy { return([])  }
sub roy { return  ([])  }

See Tutorials: Context in Perl: Context tutorial, "List" Is a Four-Letter Word, Easy Reference for Contexts

[Discipulus]

It doesn't answer my question..

this is because you have not formulated the right question, as the agent Spooner in I robot, dear.

Consider this other formulation: 'What is the difference between return (); and return [];?' For completness you have to know there is also return {}; that returns a reference to an anonymous hash.

HtH
L*