my $params = { inputFiles => {filter => 'c:/temp/newtest.flt', captureTemplate => 'c:/temp/newtest.ctf'}, outputFiles => 'c:/temp/resultsFromScript.apc' }; StartCapture($params); $params->{inputFiles}{filter} = 'c:/temp/new.flt'; StartCapture($params); sub StartCapture(){ my $ref = shift; my %args = ( outputFiles => 'C:\results.txt', %{$ref} ); print("$args{inputFiles}{filter} \n"); print($args{outputFiles}); }