array naming

[jrsmith]

here's a simple question- say i have a variable being read in from a flat file. how can i create an array using that variable as the name?

[chromatic]

You'll be best off using a special kind of an array called a hash. perldata has more details.

The difference is that instead of using numbers to get at elements of the array, you use text. Suppose you had a file like the following:

location=dungeon
name=corwin
weapon=grayswandir

You might read it in and put it in the hash as in this snippet:

my %data = ();    # initialize hash
while (<INPUT>) {    # assume you have the file open already
    my ($key, $value) = split(/=/, $_, 2);
    $data{$key} = $value;
}

You'll end up with $data{name} set to 'corwin' and so forth.

Update: If you want to keep an actual array around, you can put a reference in a hash. See perlref and perldsc for more details:

$data{$arrname} = \@array;
    # or
$data{$arrname} = [ @array ];

or some such nonsense.

[le]

If I get your question right, you need something like this:

$var = "some_stupid_name";
@{$var} = qw(foo bar baz);
print @some_stupid_name;

See 'perldoc perlref' for more information.

[KM]

Also, look at these articles as to why you shouldn't (or may not want to) do this.

Cheers,
KM

[jrsmith]

thanx this is what i needed.. i'm proud of myself actually, this is what i had done more or less as a test to see if it would work, and it turned out to be right :)

[merlyn]

In any event, you still shouldn't be doing it, until you know thoroughly why we tell people you shouldn't do it. {grin}

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker