if ($level = $access{$item})  # Assignment & test for existance
{}   # Not very tidy looking, IMHO
elsif ($item =~ /^(.+):.+/ and $level = $access{"$1:*"} )  # Assignment & test for existance
{}   # Not very tidy looking, IMHO
else
{
  unless ($level = $access{'*'})  # Assignment & test for existance
  { $level = 0 }
}