my ( $data_source, $database, $port, $user_id, $password ) = qw( "PIKA
+CHU\NetSDK", "HarvestDay", "127.0.0.1:2433", "HarvestReader", "reader
+" );
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doesn't produce what you are expecting...

print them out, you'll see embedded quotes and with some, a comma.

like $database, it equals:

"HarvestDay",
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this would likely explain "invalid string" good luck!