my @TEST_FLD = ();
my $TEST_REC_PACK = q{}; 
my @TEST_REC_PACK_FLDS = (
   status => 'n  ',   #   0
   time   => 'n  ',   #   2
   date   => 'N  ',   #   4
   code   => 'a16',   #   8   key
   msid   => 'a10',   #  24   key);
my $TEST_REC_LEN =       34;

# split pack-spec & fld names (one-line-ish)
my $odd=0;
($odd^=1) ? push @TEST_FLD,$_ : ($TEST_REC_PACK.=$_) 
                                for (@TEST_REC_PACK_FLDS);

# split pack-spec & fld names (using a sub)
($TEST_REC_PACK,@TEST_FLD) = 
               Split_pack_flds_spec(@TEST_REC_PACK_FLDS);

sub Split_pack_flds_spec {
   my $spec;
   my @fld;
   my $odd = 0;
   for (@_) { 
      if ($odd = !$odd) {
         push @fld,$_;
      }
      else {
         $spec .= $_; 
      }
   }
   return ($spec,@fld);
}