I'd like to give an (XS) routine autovivifying properties, in the sense that it should return a (new, empty) reference fitting the context in which it is called. Thus in 
@{ gimme_a_ref() } = ( 1, 2, 3);

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it should return an array ref, but called as

$gimme_a_ref->{ haha} = 'hihi'; 

gimme_a_ref()->{ haha} = 'hihi';

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it should return a hash ref, and so on. In non-dereferening calls let it return undef.

I realize that gimme_a_ref() would be useless without further properties, like behaving sticky and returning the same ref after the first call, but that's not the point of my question. I wonder how I could find out in what de-referencing context, if any, I was called.

I notice there are opcodes for the various types of de-referencing, like OP_RV2AV for arrays, etc. I guess I'd have to search the op tree "above me" for one of these, but how would I go about that?

Anno Update: (Unfortunate, because misleading) mistyped example corrected.

In reply to Autovivifying XS routine by Anno

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