5.6 Context Considerations

Expression

Context

Variable

Evaluates to

$scalar

scalar

$scalar, a scalar

the value held in $scalar

@array

list

@array, an array

the list of values (in order) held in @array

@array

scalar

@array, an array

the total number of elements in @array (same as $#array + 1)

$array[$x]

scalar

@array, an array

the ($x+1)th element of @array

$#array

scalar

@array, an array

the subscript of the last element in @array (same as @array -1)

@array[$x, $y]

list

@array, an array

a slice, listing two elements from @array (same as ($array[$x], $array[$y]))

"$scalar"

scalar (interpolated)

$scalar, a scalar

a string containing the contents of $scalar

"@array"

scalar (interpolated)

@array, an array

a string containing the elements of @array, separated by spaces

%hash

list

%hash, a hash

a list of alternating keys and values from %hash

$hash{$x}

scalar

%hash, a hash

the element from %hash with the key of $x

@hash{$x, $y}

list

%hash, a hash

a slice, listing two elements from %hash (same as ($hash{$x}, $hash{$y})