Newbie If..Else Question - why return true?

[toddmanqa]

Here is my code:

#!/usr/bin/perl

$x = 2;

if ($x = 11) {
print "$x equals 11!";
} else {
print "$x does not equal 11!";
}

Why does it return, '11 equals 11'?

 

[PinkeyNBrain]

Hey - one I'm qualified to answer: Use '==' in your compare. Using if ($x = 11) is effectively assigning the value 11 to $x and then telling you about it with your print.

 

[PinkeyNBrain]

To potentially more fully answer your question, if I'm not mistaken, perl will do the following:

if [i]EXPR[/i] {
   # This will be executed if [i]EXPR[/i] evaluates to
   # anything [u]but[/u]:
   #    0
   #    "" -- i.e. defined with no value
   #    undef
}

Note that ($x = 11) evaluates to 11 - which is interpreted as true.

 

[KevinADC]

As pointed out, you have used "=": if($x = 11) when you should have used "==": if($x == 11) . A very common mistake.

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- Kevin, perl coder unexceptional!