%datastructure=( 'foo' => [ [ 'foo01', 'foo02' ], [ 'foo11', 'foo12' ] ], 'bar' => [ [ 'bar01', 'bar02' ], [ 'bar11', 'bar12' ] ] ); #### $VAR1 = 'foo'; $VAR2 = [ [ 'foo01', 'foo02' ], [ 'foo11', 'foo12' ] ]; $VAR3 = 'bar'; $VAR4 = [ [ 'bar01', 'bar02' ], [ 'bar11', 'bar12' ] ]; #### my @entry = shift(@{@datastructure{'foo'}}); #### $VAR1 = [ 'foo01', 'foo02' ]; #### @my_list = ('foo01', 'foo02'); #### $VAR1 = 'foo01'; $VAR2 = 'foo02'; #### Dumper(@entry); #### $VAR1 = [ 'foo01', 'foo02' ]; #### Dumper(@entry->[0]); #### $VAR1 = [ 'foo01', 'foo02' ]; #### Dumper(@entry->[0]->[0]); #### $VAR1 = 'foo01';