Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2001 12:58:04 -0700
From: "Godzilla!" <godzilla@stomp.stomp.tokyo>
Subject: Re: clean up array from "holes"...
Message-Id: <3B43754C.A0D9E068@stomp.stomp.tokyo>

Alexvalara wrote:
 
> Is it possible to get rid off "holes" in an array...

Those "holes" are referred to as null elements
and a host of other geeky terms of endearment.


> for example: i have something that looks like
> ($ref1,$ref2,"",$ref3,"",$ref4,"","")

> and i want to transform it into
> ($ref1,$ref2,$ref3,$ref4).


Piece of cake. This method I exemplify works very nice
for small to small-medium size arrays. I would suggest
a different method for large arrays. You will note, for
a brief period of time, an original array will double
in size using this simple method below my signature.

For large arrays, it would be more logical to simply
push non-null elements into a new array. However,
would not you then have two large arrays for a period
of time?  I would say, 

"Half a dozen of one, a Baker's Dozen of the other."

Imaginative use of shift will turn these large fattening
half dozens into a small delicious cream puff;
push it in, shift it out.


* her butt gains ten pounds with just the thought *


Annoyingly, women tend not to shift out as much
as we push in.


Godzilla!
--

TEST SCRIPT:
____________


#!perl

print "Content-type: text/plain\n\n";

@Array = ("Godzilla", "", "Rocks", "And", "", "Rolls", "", "!", "", "0", "¿", "0");

$element_count = $#Array;

for ($iterate = 0; $iterate <= $element_count; $iterate++)
 {
  if ($Array[$iterate] ne "")
   { push (@Array, $Array[$iterate]); }
 }

for ($iterate = 0; $iterate <= $element_count; $iterate++)
 { shift (@Array); }

print "@Array";

exit;


PRINTED RESULTS:
________________

Godzilla Rocks And Rolls ! 0 ¿ 0