Samples of snippet code will be provided in order to highlight some particular aspects of using it in different contexts. This quick tutorial will help you understand its features better.

The Perl chop function has three syntax forms:

chop VARIABLE 
chop (LIST)
chop

For instance, the following code shows you how to chop the last character from a string variable:

$v = 'Flowers';
$r = chop($v);
print "$v (without $r)\n";
# displays Flower (without s)

If the string is empty or undefined, the Perl chop function will return an empty string respectively undefined.

You can use chop with anything that's a lvalue, including an assignment, as in the following example:

chop($color = 'reds');
print "$color\n";
#displays red;

Chopping an array will cause all the elements of the array to be chopped:

# define an array
@flowers = qw(roses tulips violets snowdrops);
chop(@flowers);
print join(" ",@flowers), "\n"; 
# displays rose tulip violet snowdrop

#define a hash
%colors = (
               red => 'roses', 
               yellow => 'tulips',
               white => 'snowdrops'
);
chop(%colors);
while (($key, $value) = each % colors)
{
  print "$key : $colors{$key}\n";
}

After running this code, you will get the output:

white : snowdrop
red : rose
yellow : tulip

For instance, see the next code:

# define an array
@flowers = qw(roses tulips violets snowdrops);
# let’s iterate through its elements using foreach loop
foreach (@flowers) {
  chop;
}
print "@flowers\n";
# displays rose tulip violet snowdrop

• the $_ variable is set with the current element of the list
• the string from $_ is chopped by its last character