## Usage: fillRef( $hashref, $infilename ); sub fillRef { ## so you can keep using $ref{blah} ## less rewriting when you copy/paste local *ref = shift; ## open the string as file open IN, '<', shift; ... } ## Usage: refLogic( $hashref, $infilename ); sub refLogic { local *ref = shift; ## open the string as file open IN, '<', shift; ## fake out for testing local *OUT = \*STDOUT; }