# Two-face Scalars

# Put this in two_face.pm in your Perl library directory:

      package two_face;		# Scalars with separate string and
                                    # numeric values.
      sub new { my $p = shift; bless [@_], $p }
      use overload '""' => \&str, '0+' => \&num, fallback => 1;
      sub num {shift->[1]}
      sub str {shift->[0]}

# Use it as follows:

      require two_face;
      my $seven = two_face->new("vii", 7);
      printf "seven=$seven, seven=%d, eight=%d\n", $seven, $seven+1;
      print "seven contains 'i'\n" if $seven =~ /i/;

# (The second line creates a scalar which has both a string value, and a numeric value.) This prints:

      seven=vii, seven=7, eight=8
      seven contains 'i'