Re^2: Short form (ternary) if else

[gg48gg]

Yes, that works beautifully! Thank you! I realize the scope issue as well. So, what I understand is that ternary form is only for use after an assignment (=) operator? Is that correct?

[tobyink]

No, it doesn't have to be used in conjunction with assignment. Consider:

  printf("X is %s\n", defined $X ? $X : 'undefined');

Or:

 sub get_name
 {
   # ...
   return wantarray ?
          ($firstname, $middlename, $lastname) :
          "$firstname $lastname";
 }

[DStaal]

Yes and no... It is typically at it's most useful after an assignment, and it's use is that it generates a value, but that doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be used in an assignment. Others have given examples, but the essential thing to remember is that the ternary operator returns a value. if does not: It is a flow-control operator.

So, where it does need to be used is where Perl would expect a value. Assignments are one common case of that.