Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!crdgw1!uunet!cti1!kmeek
From: kmeek@cti1.UUCP (Kevin Meek)
Newsgroups: comp.lang.perl
Subject: Checking if a variable is null
Keywords: perl null
Message-ID: <483@cti1.UUCP>
Date: 18 Apr 91 15:29:25 GMT
Organization: Comprehensive Technologies Int., Arlington VA
Lines: 28

Is there a perl equivalent to the shell test operators -z and -n 

I want to print a line if certain parts are not null.

What I'm using is this:

($a,$b,$c) = split(' ');
if ( $a ne '' && $b ne '' ) {
   print $_;
}

Is there a better way to check if a variable is null?
i.e. print if -n $a 

Also I wanted to get it into a oneliner but when I have a multi part
expression (i.e. EXPR && EXPR), I had trouble getting the 
print if EXPR construct to work.  

I always end up reverting back to C style if (EXPR) { BLOCK } construct.

I'm just learning perl so feel free to set me straight if I don't
make much sense.

Kevin

-- 
Kevin Meek 
kmeek@cti.com