I've tried looking for documentation for * but to no avail.
I have some inherited code which has a way of storing variables between sub calls, it was written to replicate some main frame functionality.
It works but I have no understanding of whats happening here.(The code is cut down a lot but is the real lines except the package name, strict is not in use) 
    while((my $varname, my $globvalue)= each %thepackage::){

        local *varAlias = $globvalue;
        my $reftype = ref $varAlias;
        #do lots of over stuf
     }

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My question has three parts
1. what is *varAlias
2. Why when I made a little test of this could, I could get it to compile and run but no value was assigned to $reftype.
3. Would not compile with strict in use.

Im sure that, as usual, the Monks will be able to help.
Update in my test I printed the value of $globvalue so I know there was something in it.

In reply to Declareing something with a * by Scarborough

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