print DATA Dumper( \%somehash );

##</code><code>##

open DATA, "<$datafile" or die "$!";
{
    local $/;
    %somehash  = %{ eval <DATA> };
}

##</code><code>##

Can't use an undefined value as a HASH reference at somescript.pl line 22, <DATA> chunk 1.

##</code><code>##

%somehash  = %{ eval { <DATA> } };

##</code><code>##

Ambiguous use of %{eval{...}} resolved to %eval{...} at somescript.pl line 22.
Global symbol "%eval" requires explicit package name at somescript.pl line 22.
syntax error at somescript.pl line 22, near "%{ eval { "
syntax error at somescript.pl line 23, near "}"
Execution of somescript.pl aborted due to compilation errors.