Hi.  I am trying to write a method which prints out the status of a
file using the file test operators.  The code is shown below.  I am
having a problem trying to figure out how to set up the command text
string and using eval.  I keep getting the error 'Scalar found where
operator expected at (eval 50) line 1, at end of line (#2)'.  The
operation never failes either, even though the tests are mutually
exclusive.

Please someone explain this to me.

Curtis
================================================================

sub file_tests
{
  my $self = shift;


                 ['-r', "File is %s readable by effective uid\n" ],
                 ['-w', "File is %s writable by effective uid\n" ],
                 ['-x', "File is %s executable by effective uid\n" ],
                 ['-o', "File is %s owned by effective uid\n" ],
                 ['-R', "File is %s readable by real uid\n" ],
                 ['-W', "File is %s writable by real uid\n" ],
                 ['-X', "File is %s executable by real uid\n" ],
                 ['-O', "File is %s owned by real uid\n" ],
                 ['-e', "File does %s exist\n" ],
                 ['-z', "File does %s have zero size\n" ],
                 ['-s', "File does %s have zero non-size\n" ],
                 ['-f', "File is %s a plain file\n" ],
                 ['-d', "File is %s a directory\n" ],
                 ['-l', "File is %s a symbolic link\n" ],
                 ['-S', "File is %s a socket\n" ],
                 ['-p', "File is %s a named pipe\n" ],
                 ['-b', "File is %s a block file\n" ],
                 ['-c', "File is %s a character special file\n" ],
                 ['-u', "File does %s have setuid bit set\n" ],
                 ['-g', "File does %s have setgid bit set\n" ],
                 ['-k', "File does %s have sticky bit set\n" ],
                 ['-t', "Filehandle is %s opened to a tty\n" ],
                 ['-T', "File is %s a text file\n" ],
                 ['-B', "File is %s a binary file\n" ]
              );

  my( $ftest, $result, $qualifier, $ratest, $command );

    $ftest = $$ratest[0];
    $result = $$ratest[1];

    $command =    
    'if ( $ftest $fname ) {
      $qualifier = "";
    } else {
      $qualifier = "not";
    }';

    print "Command is $command\n";  
    eval $command ;
    printf($result, $qualifier);
  }

        unless (stat $filename) {       # Load up the info
            print "Can't stat file '$filename': $!";
            next;
        }
        print "Concerning file '$filename':\n";
        print "  it's readable\n" if -r _;
        print "  it's writable\n" if -w _;
        ...
        print "\n";
    }

Hope this helps!

--
Tom Phoenix           http://www.teleport.com/~rootbeer/

Randal Schwartz Case:  http://www.rahul.net/jeffrey/ovs/
              Ask me about Perl trainings!

    $command =    
    "if ( $ftest \$fname ) {
      \$qualifier = "";
    } else {
      \$qualifier = "not";
    }";
    print "Command is $command\n";  
    eval $command ;

but instead of the eval, how about a couple of other options? If you
make the tests subroutine references instead of strings, you could
skip the eval.

                 [sub {-r $_[0]}, "File is %sreadable by effective uid\n" ],
# and the rest of the file tests.

  if(&{$ratest->[0]}($fname)) {
    $qualifier = '';
  }
  else {
    $qualifier = 'not ';
  }
  printf $ratest->[1], $qualifier;

--
Andrew Langmead