in reply to Create an array reference from a string

While it is possible to do what you say that you want in Perl, it is not advisable. Please read Mark Jason Dominus' excellent Why it's stupid to `use a variable as a variable name' about it. Most likely, you do want real references or a hash instead.

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Re: Re: Create an array reference from a string
by xorl (Deacon) on Apr 12, 2004 at 19:37 UTC
    So I guess you're suggesting something like: 
    my @bar = qw(One Two Three);
my $foo = "bar";
my %quux = ("bar", \@bar);

print "***" . $foo . "***";

foreach my $baz (@{$quux{$foo}}) {

     print $baz . "\n\n";

}

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    It looks like that will work, but it does mean I have to create a hash.
[reply]
[d/l]
      Think about it this way - you are asking to access some data structure (scalar, array, hash, whatever) using an arbitrary string as its name. That is the very definition of a hash.

      In fact, soft references are implemented under the hood as a hash. So, it's not like you're saving anything. :-)

      ------
      We are the carpenters and bricklayers of the Information Age.

      Then there are Damian modules.... *sigh* ... that's not about being less-lazy -- that's about being on some really good drugs -- you know, there is no spoon. - flyingmoose

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