sub make_var_hash{
    my $xml = @_[0];
    my %myhash;
    my $name;
    my $localname;
    my $defaultval;
    
    #
    #read the xml file extract the data and add to the following hash

    #UPDATE sorry this line should be
    $myhash{$name} = [$localname,$defaultval];
    #NOT $myhash{$name} = ($localname,$defaultval);

    #end the loop
    return \%myhash;
}