@array = sort { $a->[2] <=> $b->[2] } @array

But, you say you want to find the $i with the smallest z value. It's best to _not_ sort for that:

my $min_i = 0;
foreach my $i (1..$#array) {
  $min_i = $i if $array[$i]->[2] < $array[$min_i]->[2];
}
[download]

(update: Oops. Forgot the ->[2].)

This should be signifigantly faster, especially when @array gets large...

This isn't relevant at all for the issue, but I have a question: Why do you choose to have $i over $_? There is a slight performance improvement when the loop is entered, but still...

True, he could have it written it in such a way to minimize a bunch of the minor overheads of the loop construct.

Thus

my $min_i = 0;
foreach my $i (1..$#array) {
  $min_i = $i if $array[$i]->[2] < $array[$min_i]->[2];
}
[download]

becomes

my $index=0;
$array[$_][2]<$array[$index][2] && ($index=$_)
   foreach 1..$#array;
[download]

But I'm so sure its easier to understand...

;-)

Yves / DeMerphq
--
When to use Prototypes?

I find it clearer, since smitz referred to $i as the index to the array in the question and since $i, $j, etc. make me think "this is a counter variable" when I see them.