Yeah, I uploaded a new version that has use 5.008 because I use the new prototype \[$@%], which means "expect a scalar, array, or hash, and auto-ref it".

As far as back-porting it, I would suggest a prototype of $$, and require the user explicitly reference the variables. The other solution is three functions, one for scalars, one for arrays, and a third for hashes; I suppose that's ok too. So let's do both:

package Lexical::Alias;

# alias() is the XS function
# with a prototype of ($$)
# the following are merely wrappers

sub alias_s (\$\$) { goto &alias }
sub alias_a (\@\@) { goto &alias }
sub alias_h (\%\%) { goto &alias }

1;
[download]

Well, that was awfully easy. But here's the deal. I'll make two functions in the XS file -- one for pre-5.8, and one for post-5.8. When the module is used, it'll alias (how funny!) alias() to the proper one.

_____________________________________________________
Jeff[japhy]Pinyan: Perl, regex, and perl hacker, who'd like a job (NYC-area)
s++=END;++y(;-P)}y js++=;shajsj<++y(p-q)}?print:??;