Re: Amending the perlsub documentation about empty returns

On 06/03/2023 17:05, Dan Book wrote:
> On Mon, Mar 6, 2023 at 11:52 AM Robert Rothenberg <rrwo@cpan.org> wrote:
>
>     The perlsub documentation briefly discusses empty returns:
>
>      > If you specify no return value, the subroutine returns an empty
>     list
>     in list context, the undefined value in scalar context, or nothing in
>     void context.
>
>     This really needs some elaboration on when its good to specify no
>     return
>     value, and when it's not, such as when the return value is on the
>     right
>     side of a fat comma.
>
>
> That assumes the return and the call are written by the same person or 
> even in the same project which is often not the case when such issues 
> occur.

I would assume that the return value of a library would be documented 
enough so that people writing code that uses it would handle it 
appropriately.

> But a sentence or two on the danger may be warranted.

I think perlsub needs a larger section on "Return Values" that discusses 
issues with:

- calling context (void, scalar or array), and wantarray

- no return value vs undef

• Amending the perlsub documentation about empty returns by Robert Rothenberg
• Re: Amending the perlsub documentation about empty returns by Dan Book
• Re: Amending the perlsub documentation about empty returns by Robert Rothenberg
• Re: Amending the perlsub documentation about empty returns by demerphq