Get hash keys/values on same line as the function call

Question

Here is the code to reproduce the problem:

sub hello { return (h => 1, n => 1); }
print join \", \", values hello();

I get the error:

Answer 1

You could use hash references:

sub hello { return {h => 1, n => 1}; }
print join ", ", values %{hello()};

but otherwise, no. Perl may interpret the return value of a subroutine in either scalar or list context, but there is no concept of returning a value in a hash context.

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Update: this also works

sub hello { return (h => 1, n => 1); }
print join ", ", values %{{hello()}};

The inner {} converts the output of hello() from a list into a hash reference. The outer %{} dereferences the hash.

(Does %{{}}} count as a pseudo-operator?)