$key       => { map { split m{\s*=\s*} } @record }

Try that with values containing "=". Like this:

[CELL_NAME1]
COMMENT           = "Perl parsing = oh no"
FIRST             = "TEST1"
SECOND            = "ID1"
THIRD             = 123
FOURTH            = "THREE"
FIFTH             = 12345
SIXTH             = 6789
SEVENTH           = QWERTY

[CELL_NAME2]
COMMENT           = "Tester"
FIRST             = "TEST2"
SECOND            = "ID2"
THIRD             = 1234
FOURTH            = "FOUR = bad"
FIFTH             = 12345
SIXTH             = BOARD
SEVENTH           = MOUSE

[CELL_NAME3]
COMMENT           = "Parser"
FIRST             = "TEST3"
SECOND            = "ID3 = and how = did this = happen?"
THIRD             = 12345
FOURTH            = "FIVE"
FIFTH             = 12345
SIXTH             = PAD
SEVENTH           = KEY
EOF

[download]

Did you expect that?

>perl 1179657.pl
Odd number of elements in anonymous hash at 1179657.pl line 45, <$inFH
+> chunk 3.

Odd number of elements in anonymous hash at 1179657.pl line 45, <$inFH
+> chunk 3.

Odd number of elements in anonymous hash at 1179657.pl line 45, <$inFH
+> chunk 3.

%HoH = (
         'CELL_NAME1' => {
                           '"ID1"' => 'THIRD',
                           '"TEST1"' => 'SECOND',
                           '"THREE"' => 'FIFTH',
                           '123' => 'FOURTH',
                           '12345' => 'SIXTH',
                           '6789' => 'SEVENTH',
                           'COMMENT' => '"Perl parsing',
                           'QWERTY' => undef,
                           'oh no"' => 'FIRST'
                         },
         'CELL_NAME2' => {
                           '12345' => 'SIXTH',
                           'BOARD' => 'SEVENTH',
                           'COMMENT' => '"Tester"',
                           'FIRST' => '"TEST2"',
                           'FOURTH' => '"FOUR',
                           'MOUSE' => undef,
                           'SECOND' => '"ID2"',
                           'THIRD' => '1234',
                           'bad"' => 'FIFTH'
                         },
         'CELL_NAME3' => {
                           '"FIVE"' => 'FIFTH',
                           '12345' => 'SIXTH',
                           'COMMENT' => '"Parser"',
                           'FIRST' => '"TEST3"',
                           'KEY' => undef,
                           'PAD' => 'SEVENTH',
                           'SECOND' => '"ID3',
                           'and how' => 'did this',
                           'happen?"' => 'THIRD'
                         }
       );
>

[download]

Hint: split accepts THREE arguments.

Alexander

--
Today I will gladly share my knowledge and experience, for there are no sweeter words than "I told you so". ;-)

In reply to Re^8: Parse a file and store it in hash of hashes by afoken
in thread Parse a file and store it in hash of hashes by Sonali

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