Your module probably reduces to this:

package Foo; ... 1; # or any expression that returns a true value sub bar { ... } [download]

Because the subroutine declaration has no value, the value of the last expression before the subroutine is returned.

Simplifying, it's a good thing to end your modules with a `1;', though in reality, only the last evaluated expression needs to return a true value for Perl to load your module.

   MeowChow                                   
               s aamecha.s a..a\u$&owag.print

I see. So rather than a non-value-carrying statement causing the module's return value to not be true (undef or some more specific error), it is just ignored in favor of the last thing that was an expression.

I suppose that's true in general?

Simplifying, it's a good thing to end your modules with a `1;'

How boring. I prefer 69; or "peace";.

srand 3.14159; print join("",
sort{rand 1<0.5}map{$_^"\037"}split m{
}x,"qmptk|z~wOzm??l]pUqx^k?j"),",\n";
[download]

How boring. I prefer 69; or "peace";.

One of my colleagues ends his modules with:

42;
[download]

I don't remember this not working in prior versions.

What exactly is the value of a subroutine?it's always true, i know that much ;)

My test code worked on all my ActivePerl and IndigoPerl installations, as well as, jcwren's machine.

package test2;

require Exporter;
use vars qw/@ISA/;
@ISA = qw(Exporter);

sub new
{
  my $me = shift;
  return bless {},$me;
}

sub Ed_Guine { return -reverse oy};
__END__
[download]

update:
Apparently, what is happening is the return value is true, because @ISA = qw(Exporter); evaluates to true. I tested by inserting 0; in between the subs and such. MeowChow is right.

So, to avoid all this confusion, just make sure you have 1; before __DATA__ (or __END__ depending on what you use).

 
___crazyinsomniac_______________________________________
Disclaimer: Don't blame. It came from inside the void
perl -e "$q=$_;map({chr unpack qq;H*;,$_}split(q;;,q*H*));print;$q/$q;"

So why did it work just fine when I did forget?

It won't be hard to see and probably won't get deleted if you use it the way perlmod does: (thanks crazyinsomniac)

1; # don't forget to return a true value from the file

The comment makes things a lot clearer, and should make someone think twice before deleting it.

I really don't know what return from the main top-level code of a module does.

I tried changing the 1 to

return 1;  # script loaded OK.
[download]

on the PM I'm working on, and nothing changed. So I suppose it's just fine. I'd do without the extra parens, though: return is not a function, and I'm not expecting it to be "called" in list context.

—John

The other way to go is just:

1
[download]

then if you put anything after it you get an error.
But I've said this before and I'm sure everyone else considers it bad practice and I suppose their right. It just always seems counterproductive to me to add the ';' when that only serves to hide it.

  p