Re: [MacPerl-WebCGI] Using CGI Parameters As Regex Switches

[Vicki Brown <vlb@cfcl.com>]

At 18:35 -0400 5/3/99, Richard Gordon wrote:
> <RANT>
>
> My problem with this is that like so many other things in Perl, it is
> anti-intuitive. If modifiers go after the last /, why should a
> modifier that is embedded via a variable go after the first /? This
> strikes me as needlessly bizarre even by Perl standards. :-[
>
> </RANT>

I don't think the operative question is
      If modifiers go after the last /, why should a
      modifier that is embedded via a variable go after the first /?

The answer to this question is made fairly plain, I think in The Camel on
pp. 68 - 69. (?...) is an extension syntax. One of the extensions happens
to be a way of embedding modifiers within a pattern.

I think the better question is,
      why can't I use a variable in place of a modifier (after the closing
/)
      but I can use a variable in place of an embedded modifier (inside the
      pattern space)

  or  (rephrased and simplified) Why can I use a variable inside the pattern
      space but not outside the pattern space?

I presume the answer has something to do with compile time vs run time
(i.e. the same sort of reasoning as to why a variable cannot be
interpolated inside the // of a tr/.../.../) but I don't know.  It might be
a good question to ask on comp.lang.perl...
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