@CATEGORY = ("USA", "CANADA" , "EUROPE" , "TAIWAN"); @FOOD = ("PIZZA" , "MAPLE" , "EURO" , "INDEPENDENCE"); #### @FOOD = ("INDEPENDENCE", "MAPLE", "PIZZA" , "EURO"); #### @FILENAMES = ("MAPLESTEA.txt" , "HOTPIZZA.txt" , "EURODOLLAR.txt"); end result i want to be is $HASH{"CANADA"}{"MAPLESTEA.txt"} = 1; $HASH{"USA"}{"HOTPIZZA.txt"} = 1; $HASH{"EUROPE"}{"EURODOLLAR.txt"} = 1;