You can used pseudo hashes to get fixed length arrays with no auto vivication. 
my $p_hash=[{key=>index,key1=>index1},'value key', 'value key1'];

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derefed by 
$p_hash->[index];
or
$p_hash->{key}

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I Have just started using them and 'use fields' to get faster object access where I had big hash objects.

In reply to Re: Are array based objects fixed length? by hakkr
in thread Are array based objects fixed length? by pdcawley

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