Re: RFC 154 (v1) Simple assignment lvalue subs should be on by default

>>>>> "NW" == Nathan Wiger <[email protected]> writes:

NW> If arrays are maintained "properly" (not flattened) in Perl, then they
NW> will remain separate, whether as parameters, across = assignments, etc,
NW> etc. The same goes true for mixing arrays and scalars and hashes:

NW>     @stuff = docoolstuff(%hash, $var, @array);
NW>     @stuff = docoolstuff(%hash, $var) = @array;

Then assignment arguments must be a the tail of the prototype. A bit
of limitation. If you do want to persue this, and it is acceptable
it should come in on a non-calling parameter. A seperate communication
channel.

Hmm, your proposal also make a non-lvaluable subroutine lvaluable. With
arbitrary values.

	sub foo { launch_missles if $_[0] }
	foo = 35;

The current thinking in -internals is that @_ will continue to flatten
the arguments. So any rvalues being pushed in will be lost.

>> By limiting it to only the programmer specified arguments, you reduce
>> complexity with no loss of generality.

NW> You do lose the ability to chain subs together, which is neat. For
NW> example, using a sub a middle value to a split():

NW>    @user = ($uid, $x, $p->format) = split /:/, <PASSWD>;

This sounds like a valid reason. But again if a seperate channel is provided
then it is much clearer what is going on. 

But if tieing were made simpler then this could be done (with a little
more syntax.

	tie $magic, (something to do with $p->format)
	@user = ($uid, $x, $magic) = split /:/, <PASSWD>;

Or perhaps something along the lines of ksh's <() syntax?

	@user = ($uid, $x, >($p->format)) = ...

<chaim>
-- 
Chaim Frenkel					     Nonlinear Knowledge, Inc.
[email protected]				               +1-718-236-0183