#!/usr/bin/perl -w use strict; $href->{KEY1}={KEY11=>"a",KEY12=>"b"}; print 'Initial condition for $href->{KEY1}={KEY11=>"a",KEY12=>"b"}'."\n"; print Dumper $href; ${$href->{KEY1}}{KEY11}="c"; print 'Change one key in the hash:${$href->{KEY1}}{KEY11}="c"'."\n"; print Dumper $href; @{$href->{KEY1}}{[qw/KEY11 KEY12/]}=("c" ,"d"); print 'Change all keys in the slice:@{$href->{KEY1}}{[qw/KEY11 KEY12/]}=("c" ,"d")?'."\n"; print Dumper $href; #### Results - Initial condition for $href->{KEY1}={KEY11=>"a",KEY12=>"b"} $VAR1 = { 'KEY1' => { 'KEY12' => 'b', 'KEY11' => 'a' } }; Change one key in the hash:${$href->{KEY1}}{KEY11}="c" $VAR1 = { 'KEY1' => { 'KEY12' => 'b', 'KEY11' => 'c' } }; Change all keys in the slice:@{$href->{KEY1}}{[qw/KEY11 KEY12/]}=("c" ,"d")? $VAR1 = { 'KEY1' => { 'KEY12' => 'b', 'ARRAY(0x50db350)' => 'c', 'KEY11' => 'c' } };