Re^3: if (defined @arr) problem

[secret]

Still, testing definedness of an array is a very bad idea. Try running this code first:

@a = qw(a b c);

Ah yes :) that's very true !  scalar @array is, of course, much better !

( i did meant the undef value, btw, and not the string 'undef' but it's true that my use of single quotes was indeed a bad idea !! )

I'll add something : suppose the OP wanted to undef arrays in a sub . I think I would pass the array as a reference, undef it in the sub and return the reference .

[davorg]

I'll add something : suppose the OP wanted to undef arrays in a sub . I think I would pass the array as a reference, undef it in the sub and return the reference.

In technical discussions terms have precise meanings and it's important to use them in the same way that other people do. I don't think that "undef an array" means what you think it means.

If you mean to remove all of the elements of the array, then say that. If you want to replace all of the elements with the value undef then say that. Or do you actually mean that you want to call undef @ARRAY? According to the docs that will "forget @ARRAY ever existed". Which of these do you mean?

[secret]

remove all of the elements of the array

Well that would be @array = ()
replace all of the elements with the value undef

That could be @a = (undef) x scalar @a

So yes , saying "undef an array" i meant  undef @a . I do think it's what the OP was meaning to do when trying to affect one single undef value to the whole array . This really sounds like undef @array.

Now about delete for the moment i never got to use it, neither did i use exist . I gather it's because they are used mainly with objects, are they ?

Regards,
secret

[blazar]

Ah yes :) that's very true ! scalar @array is, of course, much better !

And while we're here, it's worth reminding that if you use @array in scalar context, then an explicit call to scalar is not needed:

D'Oh unless @array;  # Valid Perl!!