clarify docs on return value from binding operators

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

diff --git a/pod/perlop.pod b/pod/perlop.pod
index ac9d4b6..5e4ce93 100644 (file)
--- a/pod/perlop.pod
+++ b/pod/perlop.pod
@@ -172,8 +172,11 @@ search or modify the string $_ by default.  This operator makes that kind
 of operation work on some other string.  The right argument is a search
 pattern, substitution, or transliteration.  The left argument is what is
 supposed to be searched, substituted, or transliterated instead of the default
-$_.  The return value indicates the success of the operation.  If the
-right argument is an expression rather than a search pattern,
+$_.  When used in scalar context, the return value generally indicates the
+success of the operation.  Behavior in list context depends on the particular
+operator.  See L</"Regexp Quote-Like Operators"> for details.
+
+If the right argument is an expression rather than a search pattern,
 substitution, or transliteration, it is interpreted as a search pattern at run
 time.  This can be less efficient than an explicit search, because the
 pattern must be compiled every time the expression is evaluated.
@@ -1796,22 +1799,6 @@ operation you intend by using C<""> or C<0+>, as in the examples below.
 See L<perlfunc/vec> for information on how to manipulate individual bits
 in a bit vector.
 
-=head2 Strings of Character
-
-A literal of the form C<v1.20.300.4000> is parsed as a string composed
-of characters with the specified ordinals.  This provides an alternative,
-more readable way to construct strings, rather than use the somewhat less
-readable interpolation form C<"\x{1}\x{14}\x{12c}\x{fa0}">.  This is useful
-for representing Unicode strings, and for comparing version "numbers"
-using the string comparison operators, C<cmp>, C<gt>, C<lt> etc.
-
-If there are two or more dots in the literal, the leading C<v> may be
-omitted.
-
-Such literals are accepted by both C<require> and C<use> for doing a version
-check.  The C<$^V> special variable also contains the running Perl
-interpreter's version in this form.  See L<perlvar/$^V>.
-
 =head2 Integer Arithmetic
 
 By default, Perl assumes that it must do most of its arithmetic in