sub svhash {    
    ($db, $hm, $makedb, $duplicates, $bdbtype) = @_;
    $makedb ||= 0;        
    $duplicates ||= '';    
    $bdbtype ||= 'hash';    
    my %h;                               
    ($dbhandx, $fail) = ("", ""); ##<<<<<<<<<<<<<
...
    return ($dbhandx, $fail);     ##<<<<<<<<<<<<<
}