$ ./test.pl -o outputfile -x xmlfiles -d 'disk1 disk2' -m 'memory1 memory2' $VAR1 = { 'm' => [ 'memory1', 'memory2' ], 'd' => [ 'disk1', 'disk2' ], 'x' => [ 'xmlfiles' ], 'o' => [ 'outputfile' ] };