You could avoid the whole thing by modifying
the original value using an assignment via return
value:
my $thingy = pluralize($thingy); # overwrites original
my $result = pluralize('orange'); # does not try to overwrite original
sub pluralize { return $_[0] . 's' }
Is there some reason this won't do?
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
Greg London
Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 9:52 AM
To: mongers of perl
Subject: [Boston.pm] lvalue
Hey all.
I have a subroutine that may want to
modify a parameter passed in via @_.
however, it shouldn't modify it if
it is read-only. how do you test
for a writable parameter in perl?
sub pluralize
{
$_[0] .= 's';
}
my $thingy = 'apple';
pluralize($thingy); # this will work
pluralize('orange'); #boom!
the only thing I can think of offhand is
to do the assign in an eval block.
is this the best way?
Greg
