[ale] perl question

[Eric Z. Ayers]

Hi David,

If you try to print out the number '0' with a variable, you need to use
the int() clause around your stuff or else it will print a
space. Alsoyou need to use parenthesis if a number is the first
argument in your list when you use 'print()' because otherwise, it
assumes the first argument is a file handle.

$num=0;
print (int($num), " $line"));

-Eric

David S. Jackson writes:
 > Hi,
 > 
 > I'm writing this dinky little TODO planner script, and this one function is
 > returning some goofy looking output, and I don't understand why it is:
 > 
 > the function:
 > =============
 > 
 > #### Remove completed tasks ############################
 > 
 > sub remove_task {
 >    $num = 0;
 >    system( "clear" );
 >    open DATAFILE, "</home/dsj/.planner/data.txt" or die "\nCan't open $datafile: $!\n";
 >    print "\nNo.  Pri.\tDescription\n";
 >    print "=========================================================\n\n";
 >    while (<DATAFILE>) { push @lines, "$_"; }
 >    foreach $line (sort @lines) {
 >       print "$num  $line"; 
 >       $num++;
 >    }
 >    print "\nWhat task number is complete?";
 >    close DATAFILE;  
 >    chomp($donetask = <STDIN>);
 >    open OUTFILE, ">/home/dsj/.planner/data.txt" or die "\nCan't open $datafile for writing: $!\n";
 >    splice @lines, $donetask;
 >    for ( $num = 0; $num < @lines; $num++) {
 >       print OUTFILE $line[$num];
 >    }
 >    close OUTFILE;  $entry = "";  @lines = "";
 > }
 > 
 > 
 > the "data.txt" file:
 > ====================
 > 
 >   A	Continue programming
 >   A	Pick up check from Schwab
 >   B	Update checkbook
 >   C	Tidy up office
 >   A	Make Linux Planner work
 >   B	Website maintenance script
 >   C	Check out some science fiction 
 >   C	This is still a test
 > 
 > 
 > Weird looking output:
 > =====================
 > 
 > No.  Pri.       Description
 > =========================================================
 > 
 > 0  1    A       Continue programming well
 > 2    A  Make Linux Planner nicer
 > 3    A  Pick up check from Schwab
 > 4    B  Update checkbook
 > 5    B  Website maintenance script
 > 6    C  Check out some science fiction 
 > 7    C  This is still a test
 > 8    C  Tidy up office
 > 
 > What task number is complete?
 > 
 > ********************************
 > 
 > Can anyone tell me why this occurs after one time through this function?  Is
 > the splice statement adding an extra at $line[0]  ??  Also, it looks like
 > I'm deleting more than the single array element I intended...
 > 
 > Any and all help is appreciated!  :-)  Mind you, it's late, and I'm probably
 > too tired to be writing this, but I'm too sleepy to know the difference...
 > Zzzzz...
 > 
 > :-)
 > --
 > David S. Jackson                           http://www.dsj.net
 > =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 > "In theory, theory and practice are the same thing.  In practice,
 > they are different."            -- Bruce Schnier