use warnings; use strict 'refs'; (my $heap = {}); ($$heap{'172.16'} = 1); print("\$heap->{'172.16'}: $$heap{'172.16'}\n"); print("\$heap->{172.16}: $$heap{172.16}\n"); ($$heap{'127.2'}{'127.1.0.2'} = 2); print("\$heap->{'127.2'}{'127.1.0.2'}: $$heap{'127.2'}{'127.1.0.2'}\n"); print("\$heap->{127.2}{127.1.0.2}: $$heap{127.2}{127.1.0.2}\n");