$ref_to_all_lines_in_file   # contains all lines in file minus those in %hash or @array
@array;                     # contains some lines from the file
%hash;                      # contains array refs
$hash_count;                # totals all arrays referenced in %hash
$array_count;               # scalar(@array);
$ref                

if($hash_count) { $ref = \%hash; }
elsif($array_count) { $ref = \@array; }
else { $ref =  $ref_to_all_lines_in_file; }

##</code><code>##

$ref = $hash_count ? \%hash : { $array_count ? \@array : $ref_to_all_lines_in_file };