# this is an arrayref or hashref containing
# other arrayrefs and/or hashrefs
$orig_ref;

# this makes a copy of the *reference* to the same data
# DOESNT WORK
$copy_ref = $orig_reg;

# this dereferences, then references the original data
# DOESNT WORK
$copy_ref = ref($orig_ref) eq 'ARRAY' ? \@{$orig_ref}
          : ref($orig_ref) eq 'HASH'  ? \%{$orig_ref}
          : undef;

# this derefs, copies, then refs the copy
# SHOULD WORK BUT DOESNT?
if(ref($orig_ref) eq 'ARRAY')
{
  @copy = @{$orig_ref}; # deref the original
  @copy2 = @copy;       # COPY the original data?
  $copy_ref = \@copy2;  # ref the copied data?
}
elsif(ref($orig_ref) eq 'HASH')
{
  %copy = %{$orig_ref}; # deref the original
  %copy2 = %copy;       # COPY the original data?
  $copy_ref = \%copy2;  # ref the copied data?
}