Re: [MacPerl] find value in array

[Ronald J Kimball <rjk@linguist.dartmouth.edu>]

On Tue, Oct 17, 2000 at 09:21:14AM -0700, Bruce Van Allen wrote:

> Both return the item number, so subtract 1 to get the array index. Or 
> modify the sub to subtract 1 and return a *reference* to the number. 
> Returning a reference is necessary to avoid a false value if the 
> value being searched for happens to appear in the first list item, 
> which would have the index 0; if tested for truth 0 returns false, 
> whereas a reference to it would return true. Then you have to 
> dereference the number to use it as the array index.

I still prefer returning '0 but true' to avoid this problem, the way some
of Perl's builtin functions do, rather than returning a reference.

Alternatively, return -1 for not found, the same way index() does, and test
for >= 0 to indicate success.

Ronald

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