Well, if you want to check whether $row->[0] and $row->[1] exists without autovivification, just check whether $row contains any elements. $row->[0] can only exist if and only if @$row > 0. Similar, $row -> [1] only exists if and only if @$row > 1.

Note that from 5.6.0 onwards, delete and exists work on arrays as well.

Abigail