my $sth_insert_into_random = $dbh->prepare("INSERT INTO Random_region_lookup_table_TEMP (Generation_number, Place_key) VALUES (?,?)"); my $nregions = $number_of_gov_regions; my %seen; for my $generation (1..$number_of_replicates) { my @members = random_subset_X($nregions, $number_of_replicates); # 5 element subsets, e.g. my $key = join(" ", @members); # note: members already sorted redo if $seen{$key}; # make sure the subsets are unique $seen{$key} = 1; print "\n\nI'm about to enter the insert subset subroutine\n\n"; insert_subset($sth_insert_into_random, $generation, @members); }