Here's what I wrote for Object-InsideOut for creating a shared copy of a complex data structure:

# Make a copy of a complex data structure that is thread-shared.
# If not thread sharing, then make a 'regular' copy.
sub shared_copy
{
    my $in = $_[0];

    # Make copies of array, hash and scalar refs
    if (my $ref_type = ref($in)) {
        # Copy an array ref
        if ($ref_type eq 'ARRAY') {
            # Make empty shared array ref
            my $out = ($threads::shared::threads_shared)
                            ? &threads::shared::share([])
                            : [];
            # Recursively copy and add contents
            for my $val (@$in) {
                push(@$out, shared_copy($val));
            }
            return ($out);
        }

        # Copy a hash ref
        if ($ref_type eq 'HASH') {
            # Make empty shared hash ref
            my $out = ($threads::shared::threads_shared)
                            ? &threads::shared::share({})
                            : {};
            # Recursively copy and add contents
            while (my ($key, $val) = each(%$in)) {
                $out->{$key} = shared_copy($val);
            }
            return ($out);
        }

        # Copy a scalar ref
        if ($ref_type eq 'SCALAR') {
            if ($threads::shared::threads_shared) {
                return (threads::shared::share($in));
            }
            # If not sharing, then make a copy of the scalar ref
            my $out = \do{ my $scalar; };
            $$out = $$in;
            return ($out);
        }
    }

    # Just return anything else
    # NOTE: This will generate an error if we're thread-sharing,
    #       and $in is not an ordinary scalar.
    return ($in);
}
[download]

You would use it in your application by first creating a regular version of a data structure, and then running it through this code. The returned shared copy can then be added safely to whatever shared structure you're working with.

If you still find that doesn't work, then you may be bumping up against problems with threads under ActivePerl 5.8.4. See Re^3: New Module Announcement: Object::InsideOut.

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