pod updates (from David Adler, M J T Guy)

p4raw-id: //depot/perl@4979

diff --git a/pod/perlfaq2.pod b/pod/perlfaq2.pod
index 80b150d..3b0a79f 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perlfaq2.pod
+++ b/pod/perlfaq2.pod
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ following list is I<not> the complete list of CPAN mirrors.
 
 Most of the major modules (Tk, CGI, libwww-perl) have their own
 mailing lists.  Consult the documentation that came with the module for
 
 Most of the major modules (Tk, CGI, libwww-perl) have their own
 mailing lists.  Consult the documentation that came with the module for

-subscription information.  Perl Mongers attempts to maintain a
+subscription information.  The Perl Mongers attempt to maintain a

 list of mailing lists at:
 
        http://www.perl.org/support/online_support.html#mail
 list of mailing lists at:
 
        http://www.perl.org/support/online_support.html#mail

diff --git a/pod/perlop.pod b/pod/perlop.pod
index 68113b7..150813e 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perlop.pod
+++ b/pod/perlop.pod
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ the trailing delimiter.  This avoids expensive run-time recompilations,
 and is useful when the value you are interpolating won't change over
 the life of the script.  However, mentioning C</o> constitutes a promise
 that you won't change the variables in the pattern.  If you change them,
 and is useful when the value you are interpolating won't change over
 the life of the script.  However, mentioning C</o> constitutes a promise
 that you won't change the variables in the pattern.  If you change them,

-Perl won't even notice.  See also L<qr//>.
+Perl won't even notice.  See also L<"qr//">.

 
 If the PATTERN evaluates to the empty string, the last
 I<successfully> matched regular expression is used instead.
 
 If the PATTERN evaluates to the empty string, the last
 I<successfully> matched regular expression is used instead.

diff --git a/pod/perlsyn.pod b/pod/perlsyn.pod
index 1f3ae50..f07bdfe 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perlsyn.pod
+++ b/pod/perlsyn.pod
@@ -5,21 +5,14 @@ perlsyn - Perl syntax
 =head1 DESCRIPTION
 
 A Perl script consists of a sequence of declarations and statements.
 =head1 DESCRIPTION
 
 A Perl script consists of a sequence of declarations and statements.

-The only things that need to be declared in Perl are report formats
-and subroutines.  See the sections below for more information on those
-declarations.  All uninitialized user-created objects are assumed to
-start with a C<null> or C<0> value until they are defined by some explicit
-operation such as assignment.  (Though you can get warnings about the
-use of undefined values if you like.)  The sequence of statements is
-executed just once, unlike in B<sed> and B<awk> scripts, where the
-sequence of statements is executed for each input line.  While this means
-that you must explicitly loop over the lines of your input file (or
-files), it also means you have much more control over which files and
-which lines you look at.  (Actually, I'm lying--it is possible to do an
-implicit loop with either the B<-n> or B<-p> switch.  It's just not the
-mandatory default like it is in B<sed> and B<awk>.)
-
-=head2 Declarations
+The sequence of statements is executed just once, unlike in B<sed>
+and B<awk> scripts, where the sequence of statements is executed
+for each input line.  While this means that you must explicitly
+loop over the lines of your input file (or files), it also means
+you have much more control over which files and which lines you look at.
+(Actually, I'm lying--it is possible to do an implicit loop with
+either the B<-n> or B<-p> switch.  It's just not the mandatory
+default like it is in B<sed> and B<awk>.)

 
 Perl is, for the most part, a free-form language.  (The only exception
 to this is format declarations, for obvious reasons.)  Text from a
 
 Perl is, for the most part, a free-form language.  (The only exception
 to this is format declarations, for obvious reasons.)  Text from a


@@ -29,11 +22,27 @@ interpreted either as division or pattern matching, depending on the
 context, and C++ C<//> comments just look like a null regular
 expression, so don't do that.
 
 context, and C++ C<//> comments just look like a null regular
 expression, so don't do that.
 

+=head2 Declarations
+
+The only things you need to declare in Perl are report formats
+and subroutines--and even undefined subroutines can be handled
+through AUTOLOAD.  A variable holds the undefined value (C<undef>)
+until it has been assigned a defined value, which is anything
+other than C<undef>.  When used as a number, C<undef> is treated
+as C<0>; when used as a string, it is treated the empty string,
+C<"">; and when used as a reference that isn't being assigned
+to, it is treated as an error.  If you enable warnings, you'll
+be notified of an uninitialized value whenever you treat C<undef>
+as a string or a number.  Well, usually.  Boolean ("don't-care")
+contexts and operators such as C<++>, C<-->, C<+=>, C<-=>, and
+C<.=> are always exempt from such warnings.
+

 A declaration can be put anywhere a statement can, but has no effect on
 the execution of the primary sequence of statements--declarations all
 take effect at compile time.  Typically all the declarations are put at
 the beginning or the end of the script.  However, if you're using
 A declaration can be put anywhere a statement can, but has no effect on
 the execution of the primary sequence of statements--declarations all
 take effect at compile time.  Typically all the declarations are put at
 the beginning or the end of the script.  However, if you're using

-lexically-scoped private variables created with C<my()>, you'll have to make sure
+lexically-scoped private variables created with C<my()>, you'll
+have to make sure

 your format or subroutine definition is within the same block scope
 as the my if you expect to be able to access those private variables.
 
 your format or subroutine definition is within the same block scope
 as the my if you expect to be able to access those private variables.