poj, I did it your way (with my own additions) by not creating two new hash keys.

use List::Util qw(shuffle);

sub random {
  my ($user_input, $list) = @_;
  
  my $random_thing;

  if ($user_input && $user_input =~ /(?:help|options)/) {
    my $keys = join(', ', keys %{$list});
    $random_thing = "Your options are: $keys, or all.";
  }

  elsif ($user_input && $user_input eq 'list') {
    $random_thing = $list;
  }

  else {
    my @random_list;

    # The following gets the keys to randomize instead of $list->{'key
+s'}.
    if ($user_input && $user_input eq 'keys') {
      @random_list = keys %{$list};
    }

    # The following gets the entire list to randomize instead of $list
+->{'all'}.
    elsif (!$user_input || $user_input eq 'all' ) {
      @random_list = map { @$_ } values %{$list};
    }

    else {
      @random_list = shuffle(@{$$list{$user_input}});
    }

    $random_thing = $random_list[rand @random_list];
  }
  
  return $random_thing;
}

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No matter how hysterical I get, my problems are not time sensitive. So, relax, have a cookie, and a very nice day!
Lady Aleena

In reply to Re^4: I have a list expanding when I don't want it to by Lady_Aleena
in thread I have a list expanding when I don't want it to by Lady_Aleena

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