Re^2: What is the difference between $array[1] and @array[1]?

[ack]

Also, @array[1] drives a list context whereas $array[1] would drive scalar context. Hence:

@array[1] = @another_array;

will behave differently than

$array[1] = @another_array;

The former will put the index (i.e., the number of elements in @another_array minus one) of the last element in @another_array in the first element of @array; whereas the second will put the number of elements in @another_array in the first element of @array.

Similarly, if you use @array1 as input to a function that behaves differently in list context vs. scalar context, the use of @array[1] will result in list context behavior, whereas $array[1] will result in scalar context behavior (hence, actually, the differences shown above in my example).

[JavaFan]

Similarly, if you use @array[1] as input to a function that behaves differently in list context vs. scalar context, the use of @array[1] will result in list context behavior, whereas $array[1] will result in scalar context behavior

What kind of rubbish statement is that? The scalar vs list behaviour of a function is determined by its context, not the sigils of its arguments.

Suppose you were right, what behaviour would func have below:

func $foo[1], @bar[1]

scalar, or list?

The only difference between $arr[1] and @arr[1] lie in the cases were it can give context: lvalue context. In rvalue context, there isn't one iota of difference (which, IMO, means the warning is utterly bogus if triggered in rvalue context).

There is a difference between $arr[EXPR] and @arr[EXPR], where EXPR isn't a scalar literal; the former gives scalar context to EXPR, the latter gives list context. But just where it makes a difference, Perl remains silent (rightly so, of course).

Considering this is a warning about something that can be determined by a static inspection of the code (@{$arr}[1] doesn't trigger for instance), IMO, such a warning belongs in a linter. Perl::Critic for instance.

[jethro]

No, the first one will put the first element of @another_array into @array.

> perl -e '@a=(5,6,7); @array[1] = @a; print @array;'
5