Loaded PDL v2.084 pdl> $x = zeroes byte, 1e9 pdl> $a = copy $x; set $a, 0, 1 pdl> $z = copy $x; set $z, -1, 1 pdl> help vars PDL variables in package main:: Name Type Dimension Flow State Mem ---------------------------------------------------------------- $a Byte D [1000000000] P 953.67MB $x Byte D [1000000000] P 953.67MB $z Byte D [1000000000] P 953.67MB pdl> with_time { print $x-> any, ' ' } for 1..3 0 1567.51 ms 0 1498.09 ms 0 1505.89 ms pdl> with_time { print $a-> any, ' ' } for 1..3 1 970.624 ms 1 941.319 ms 1 940.539 ms pdl> with_time { print $z-> any, ' ' } for 1..3 1 1489.67 ms 1 1510.22 ms 1 1468.07 ms pdl> #### Loaded PDL v2.088 pdl> $x = zeroes byte, 1e9 pdl> $a = copy $x; set $a, 0, 1 pdl> $z = copy $x; set $z, -1, 1 pdl> help vars PDL variables in package main:: Name Type Dimension Flow State Mem ---------------------------------------------------------------- $a Byte D [1000000000] P 953.67MB $x Byte D [1000000000] P 953.67MB $z Byte D [1000000000] P 953.67MB pdl> with_time { print $x-> any, ' ' } for 1..3 0 783.335 ms 0 749.517 ms 0 756.531 ms pdl> with_time { print $a-> any, ' ' } for 1..3 1 0.103 ms 1 0.091 ms 1 0.092 ms pdl> with_time { print $z-> any, ' ' } for 1..3 1 748.246 ms 1 741.717 ms 1 739.352 ms pdl>