#!/usr/bin/perl use strict; use warnings; use Data::Dump; use Symbol; my $glob = Symbol::gensym; warn "$glob\n"; dump $glob; *{ $glob } = { a => 1 }; warn "$glob\n"; dump $glob; %{ *$glob } = ( 'a' => 1 ); @{ *$glob } = ( 1 .. 5 ); warn "$glob\n"; dump $glob; *{ $glob } = { b => 2 }; warn "$glob\n"; dump $glob; __END__ C:\test>junk5 GLOB(0x225130) do { require Symbol; Symbol::gensym(); } GLOB(0x225130) do { require Symbol; Symbol::gensym(); } GLOB(0x225130) do { require Symbol; my $a = Symbol::gensym(); *{$a} = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]; *{$a} = { a => 1 }; ## Once the hash slot is in use $a; } GLOB(0x225130) do { require Symbol; my $a = Symbol::gensym(); *{$a} = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]; *{$a} = { b => 2 }; ## you can overwrite it by direct assignment. $a; }