Alternatively, after tie'ing the hash, you can use:

$hash->get($key, $value [, $flags]);
[download]

But only if you define $hash ;)

my $hash = tie %hash,  'DB_File', [$filename, $flags, $mode, $DB_HASH]
+;

$hash = tied %hash;
[download]

If you do use $hash, you must be sure to undef it before you untie %hash, see the untie gotcha part of the DB_File documentation.

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** The Third rule of perl club is a statement of fact: pod is sexy.