Scalar Variables and Operators

Auto Increment and Auto Decrement

• The autoincrement operator adds one to the contents of its variable argument.
• Example: $Counter++; # Add one to $Counter
• Example: $AnotherX = $X++;
• The autodecrement operator subtracts one from the contents of its variable argument.
• Example: $Counter--; # Subtract one from $Counter
• Example: $OldrX = $X--;
• The ++ and -- can be either pre-fix (++$X), or post-fix ($X++).
• For the pre-fix form (++$X), the returned value is the value of the specified variable before the operation.
• For the post-fix form ($X++), the returned value is the value of the specified variable after the operation.
• Example:
  

   
  $Counter = 1;
  $OldCounter = $Counter++; # Counter = 2, OldCounter = 1
  $OldCounter = --$Counter; # Counter = 1, OldCounter = 1
  

• Autoincrement and Autodecrement also work on floats, and autoincrement works on strings as well (see man perlop for behavior.)