sub new
{
my $class = shift; #off the first element
my $self = { };
bless $self, $class;
return $self;
}
Could anyone explain that? What is the use of the following three lines of code?
my $self = { };
bless $self, $class;
return $self;
my $self = { }; creates an anonymous hash reference and stores it in the lexical variable $self.
bless $self, $class; tells Perl that $self is not just any reference but actually an object of the class stored in $class. See bless in perldoc. bless $x, $y returns $x, and a subroutine always returns the value of the last executed statement unless explicetly told otherwise with a return statement, so the next line is optional, but good for readability.
return $self; hands the value in $self (our special object reference) back to the calling function. See return in perldoc.
Edit:
To clarify, if you don't bless your reference, you won't be able to call methods on it. With bless you tell Perl, "look, from now on, associate the reference in $self with the class in $class, so that I can use the methods in that class on the reference."
my $self = { surname => "Galilei", forename => "Galileo", address => "9.81 Pisa Apts.", occupation => "bombadier" }; instead of my $self = { };. What will do this change?
