P:\test>457797 "my" variable $seq masks earlier declaration in same scope at P:\test\457797.pl line 37. "my" variable %alignment masks earlier declaration in same scope at P:\test\457797.pl line 38. $VAR1 = { 'S1' => 'C-D', 'S2' => 'C-D', 'S4' => 'CID', 'S3' => 'CAD' }; $VAR1 = { 'S1' => 'C-D', 'S2' => 'C-D', 'S4' => 'CID', 'S3' => 'CAD' }; From LOOP $VAR1 = { 'S1' => 'C-D', 'S2' => 'C-D', 'S4' => 'CID', 'S3' => 'CAD' };