sub dump_as_str {
    my $str;

    # redirect STDERR temporarily
    open(my $ORIGSTDERR, ">&", STDERR)
        and close(STDERR)
        and open(STDERR, ">", \$str)
        or die($!);

    #-----------------------------------------------------
    #revision to suppress warnings - see bug report #63498
    #-----------------------------------------------------
    #Dump($_[0]);
    {
       no warnings 'uninitialized';
       Dump($_[0]);
    }

    # restore STDERR
    open(STDERR, ">&=" . fileno($ORIGSTDERR))
        or die($!);

    return $str;
}