DB<230> sub tst{ my $href=shift; my %needed; @needed{qw/name unit quantity/}=(); delete @needed{ keys %$href }; print "Elements missing; ", keys %needed if %needed; } DB<231> tst({name=>1,bla=>2,unit=>3,quantity=>4}) DB<232> tst({name=>1,bla=>2,unit=>3}) Elements missing; quantity DB<233> tst({bla=>2,unit=>3}) Elements missing; quantityname #### DB<234> sub tst{ my $href=shift; my @missing = grep { ! exists $href->{$_} } qw/name unit quantity/; print "Elements missing: @missing" if @missing; } DB<235> tst({name=>1,bla=>2,unit=>3,quantity=>4}) DB<236> tst({name=>1,bla=>2,unit=>3}) Elements missing: quantity