ELF structural tables tend to be relatively small, so simply returning a list (as other monks have suggested and you seem to have chosen) is probably the best solution. Further, the records themselves (excluding the actual contents) are of very limited and finite size.

I would suggest "splitting the difference" and returning a list of objects that describe the table entries fully and carry internal file references for the actual data. Producing a tied filehandle "on demand" that reads the extent for the actual data is not difficult; you need only remember the position and length and enforce the artificial EOF.

In reply to Re: Index or iterate - your choice by jcb
in thread Index or iterate - your choice by GrandFather

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