B::Showlex(3pm) Perl Programmers Reference Guide B::Showlex(3pm)

# [NAME](#NAME)

B::Showlex - Show lexical variables used in functions or files

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

```
        perl -MO=Showlex[,-OPTIONS][,SUBROUTINE] foo.pl
```

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

When a comma-separated list of subroutine names is given as options, Showlex prints the lexical variables used in those subroutines. Otherwise, it prints the file-scope lexicals in the file.

# [EXAMPLES](#EXAMPLES)

Traditional form:

```
 $ perl -MO=Showlex -e 'my ($i,$j,$k)=(1,"foo")'
 Pad of lexical names for comppadlist has 4 entries
 0: (0x8caea4) undef
 1: (0x9db0fb0) $i
 2: (0x9db0f38) $j
 3: (0x9db0f50) $k
 Pad of lexical values for comppadlist has 5 entries
 0: SPECIAL #1 &PL_sv_undef
 1: NULL (0x9da4234)
 2: NULL (0x9db0f2c)
 3: NULL (0x9db0f44)
 4: NULL (0x9da4264)
 -e syntax OK
```

New-style form:

```
 $ perl -MO=Showlex,-newlex -e 'my ($i,$j,$k)=(1,"foo")'
 main Pad has 4 entries
 0: (0x8caea4) undef
 1: (0xa0c4fb8) "$i" = NULL (0xa0b8234)
 2: (0xa0c4f40) "$j" = NULL (0xa0c4f34)
 3: (0xa0c4f58) "$k" = NULL (0xa0c4f4c)
 -e syntax OK
```

New form, no specials, outside O framework:

```
 $ perl -MB::Showlex -e \
    'my ($i,$j,$k)=(1,"foo"); B::Showlex::compile(-newlex,-nosp)->()'
 main Pad has 4 entries
 1: (0x998ffb0) "$i" = IV (0x9983234) 1
 2: (0x998ff68) "$j" = PV (0x998ff5c) "foo"
 3: (0x998ff80) "$k" = NULL (0x998ff74)
```

Note that this example shows the values of the lexicals, whereas the other examples did not (as they're compile-time only).

## [OPTIONS](#OPTIONS)

The "-newlex" option produces a more readable "name => value" format, and is shown in the second example above.

The "-nosp" option eliminates reporting of SPECIALs, such as "0: SPECIAL #1 &PL\_sv\_undef" above. Reporting of SPECIALs can sometimes overwhelm your declared lexicals.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

B::Showlex can also be used outside of the O framework, as in the third example. See B::Concise for a fuller explanation of reasons.

# [TODO](#TODO)

Some of the reported info, such as hex addresses, is not particularly valuable. Other information would be more useful for the typical programmer, such as line-numbers, pad-slot reuses, etc.. Given this, -newlex is not a particularly good flag-name.

# [AUTHOR](#AUTHOR)

Malcolm Beattie, "mbeattie@sable.ox.ac.uk"

2026-08-31 perl v5.44.0

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Document: B::Showlex(3pm) from perl 5.44.0-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/Perl/perl5.git