typo fix

[p5sagit/p5-mst-13.2.git] / pod / perlfunc.pod

diff --git a/pod/perlfunc.pod b/pod/perlfunc.pod
index d730b43..dbefd85 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perlfunc.pod
+++ b/pod/perlfunc.pod
@@ -1422,8 +1422,16 @@ element is not autovivified if it doesn't exist.
 A hash or array element can be true only if it's defined, and defined if
 it exists, but the reverse doesn't necessarily hold true.
 
+Given an expression that specifies the name of a subroutine,
+returns true if the specified subroutine has ever been declared, even
+if it is undefined.  Mentioning a subroutine name for exists or defined
+does not count as declaring it.
+
+    print "Exists\n"   if exists &subroutine;
+    print "Defined\n"  if defined &subroutine;
+
 Note that the EXPR can be arbitrarily complicated as long as the final
-operation is a hash or array key lookup:
+operation is a hash or array key lookup or subroutine name:
 
     if (exists $ref->{A}->{B}->{$key})         { }
     if (exists $hash{A}{B}{$key})      { }
@@ -1431,6 +1439,8 @@ operation is a hash or array key lookup:
     if (exists $ref->{A}->{B}->[$ix])  { }
     if (exists $hash{A}{B}[$ix])       { }
 
+    if (exists &{$ref->{A}{B}{$key}})   { }
+
 Although the deepest nested array or hash will not spring into existence
 just because its existence was tested, any intervening ones will.
 Thus C<$ref-E<gt>{"A"}> and C<$ref-E<gt>{"A"}-E<gt>{"B"}> will spring
@@ -1448,6 +1458,12 @@ release.
 See L<perlref/"Pseudo-hashes"> for specifics on how exists() acts when
 used on a pseudo-hash.
 
+Use of a subroutine call, rather than a subroutine name, as an argument
+to exists() is an error.
+
+    exists &sub;       # OK
+    exists &sub();     # Error
+
 =item exit EXPR
 
 Evaluates EXPR and exits immediately with that value.    Example: