The reverse Operator

The reverse operator takes a list of values (which may come from an array) and returns the list in the opposite order.  So if you were disappointed that the range operator, .., only counts upwards, this is the way to fix it:

	@fred = 6..10;
	@barney = reverse(@fred);		# gets 10, 9, 8, 7, 6
	@wilma = reverse(6..10);		# gets the same thing, without the other array
	@fred = reverse(@fred);			# puts the result back into the original array

The last line is noteworthy because it uses @fred twice.  Perl always calculates the value being assigned (on the right) before it begins the actual assignment.

Remember that reverse returns the reversed list; it doesn't affect its arguments.  If the return value isn't assigned anywhere, it's useless:

	reverse(@fred);		# WRONG - doesn't change @fred
	@fred = reverse @fred;	# that's better