I don't suppose this satisfies your criteria? It works, but would screw up if you tried to nest uses of it. 

#! perl -sw
use strict;

{
    my $next=0;
    sub elements(\@$) {
        my ($ref, $count) = @_;
        my $max = $#$ref;
        $next=0, return if $next > $max;
        my $first = $next;
        my $last = $next+$count-1;
        $last = $max if $max < $last;
        $next += $count;
        @{$ref}[$first .. $last];
    }
}

my @letters = ('a'..'z');
while(my @els = elements(@letters, 5) ) {
    print "@els\n";
}
__END__
a b c d e
f g h i j
k l m n o
p q r s t
u v w x y
z

[download]

Okay you lot, get your wings on the left, halos on the right. It's one size fits all, and "No!", you can't have a different color.
Pick up your cloud down the end and "Yes" if you get allocated a grey one they are a bit damp under foot, but someone has to get them.
Get used to the wings fast cos its an 8 hour day...unless the Govenor calls for a cyclone or hurricane, in which case 16 hour shifts are mandatory.
Just be grateful that you arrived just as the tornado season finished. Them buggers are real work.

In reply to Re: Re:(5): Perl Internals - references and symbol table by BrowserUk
in thread Perl Internals - references and symbol table by nothingmuch

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