Re^4: Not understanding 2 sentences in perldoc

[Anonymous Monk]

haukex posted "The assignment my ($x, $y, $z) = qw( 1 2 3 ) happens first, i.e. those three variables are assigned the numbers 1 to 3, and this first assignment returns the lvalues, to which the values qw( a b c ) are immediately assigned."

"and this first assignment returns the lvalues" What lvalues does it return? I see (my ($x, $y, $z) = qw( 1 2 3 )) = qw( a b c ); as # 1 = 'a', 2 = 'b', 3 = 'c'.

[LanX]

• ( ... ) = is a list assignment with list context inside the parens

  we have two nested list assignments here

•  my ($x, $y, $z) = qw( 1 2 3 ) is a list assignment

  effect $x=1, $y=2, $z=3

  returns lvalues $x, $y, $z in list context

• ( $x, $y, $z ) = qw( a b c ); is a list assignment

  effect $x="a", $y="b", $z ="c"

  doesn't return because in void context (start statement)

Hints

• If you don't believe it please try it out
• for terminology refer to perlglossary

[zapdos]

Hi, it's me the anonymous monk.

( $x, $y, $z ) = qw( a b c );

Why the above returns void context?

(my ($x, $y, $z) = qw( 1 2 3 )) = qw( a b c );

Does it return void context in this expression too?

[LanX]

"void context" means it returns nothing (or doesn't need to return anything)

see perlglossary

[haukex]

What lvalues does it return?

LanX answered that already here.

[perlfan]

This:

 (my ($x, $y, $z) = qw( 1 2 3 )) = qw( a b c );

Is semantically equivalent to this,

 my ($x, $y, $z) = qw( 1 2 3 ); # $x = '1', $y = '2', $z = '3'.
 ($x, $y, $z)    = qw( a b c ); # $x = 'a', $y = 'b', $z = 'c'.