Re: [MacPerl] MacPerl bug or do I need to RTFM?

[PwrSurge <tjudd@pacifier.com>]

At 8:31 PM -0800 11/9/98, Stewart Leicester wrote:
>PowerBook 520c, 7.6.1, Perl 5.2.0r4. As you can see from the "File
>'<AppleEvent>'", I ran these from the "Run MacPerl Front" BBEdit tool menu.
>
>Can anyone help me explain this?
>
>TIA! -Stewart

Before I get flamed for answering this question; let me make everyone aware
that I do not know everything.  :)  I'm a "intermediate" perl programmer in
general, but I believe I see his problem.

>This program:
>
>---------------------------------
>#!/bin/perl -w
>
>use strict
           ^
>
>&DoInits();
>
>print "pathSep=$pathSep\n";
>exit;
>
>sub DoInits {
>	$pathSep = ':';
>} #End of DoInits
>--------------------------------

As one of the things I read to very begin with...

"Each perl command must have a semi-colon at the end, unless it is a
subroutine, or the last line of the script"

>Gets this result:
>
>---------------------------------
># Undefined subroutine &main::DoInits called.
>File '<AppleEvent>'; Line 5
># BEGIN failed--compilation aborted.
>File '<AppleEvent>'; Line 5
>--------------------------------

Line 5 is:  "&DoInits();" - it's having a problem seeing the script
(paraphrased...) as   "use strict&DoInits()" - end of command.

Read below and let me step you through it.

>And THIS program:
>
>---------------------------------
>#!/bin/perl -w
>
>use strict
           ^

>
>#$x = '1';                   <==== Added line
>&DoInits();
>
>print "pathSep=$pathSep\n";
>exit;
>
>sub DoInits {
>	$pathSep = ':';
>} #End of DoInits
>--------------------------------
>
>Gets this result:
>
>---------------------------------
># Undefined subroutine &main::DoInits called.
>File '<AppleEvent>'; Line 6
># BEGIN failed--compilation aborted.
>File '<AppleEvent>'; Line 6
>--------------------------------

All you did was add a comment, so it changed Line 5 to Line 6, as the
script agrees with me.  You STILL haven't added the semi-colon to the first
command.

>BUT... this program:
>
>---------------------------------
>#!/bin/perl -w
>
>use strict
>
>$x = '1';                   <==== Changed line
>&DoInits();
>
>print "pathSep=$pathSep\n";
>exit;
>
>sub DoInits {
>	$pathSep = ':';
>} #End of DoInits
>--------------------------------
>
>WORKS! and gets this result:
>
>---------------------------------
># Name "main::x" used only once: possible typo.
>File '<AppleEvent>'; Line 5
>pathSep=:
>--------------------------------

This one puzzles me a bit, I'll try to explain it how I see it...  Feel
free to correct me on this one...

PERL sees the program as:

#!/bin/perl -w                 ##script interpreter, fine

use strict                     ##I don't see a semi-colon, let's continue.

$x = '1';                      ##I see a semi-colon, let's base it from here.



---------

I copy/pasted the script into MacPERL, added a semi-colon (you should know
where by now)...

On "Syntax Check..." - I got this error...

# Global symbol "x" requires explicit package name.
File 'Untitled'; Line 5
# Global symbol "pathSep" requires explicit package name.
File 'Untitled'; Line 8
# Untitled had compilation errors.



Now I'm lost - thought I figured everything out.  :)  (AGAIN, I'm a
intermediate, not a expert.)


Now two of us are asking for help.  :)

>---
>Stewart Leicester      "Ad Astra        StewartL@JenSoft.com
>JenSoft Technologies    Per Aspera"     925/551-0130
>
>***** Want to unsubscribe from this list?
>***** Send mail with body "unsubscribe" to mac-perl-request@iis.ee.ethz.ch

--Tim

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"If the opposite of 'pro' is 'con' ...
    does that mean the opposite of 'progress' is 'congress'??"  -- Unknown
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



***** Want to unsubscribe from this list?
***** Send mail with body "unsubscribe" to mac-perl-request@iis.ee.ethz.ch