$href->{'p=root'}{'cp=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'} = 'entry1111'; $href->{'p=root'}{'cp=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=2'} = 'entry1112'; $href->{'p=root'}{'cp=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=3'} = 'entry1113'; $href->{'p=root'}{'cp=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=2'}{'n=1'} = 'entry1121'; $href->{'p=root'}{'cp=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=2'}{'n=2'} = 'entry1122'; $href->{'p=root'}{'cp=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=1'}{'n=2'}{'n=3'} = 'entry1123'; # Let's see what we got: use Data::Dumper; $Data::Dumper::Indent = 1; print Dumper $href;