um... But but as a 'sub', this works:

    sub proto {
        my $p=shift;
        $p->{proto}=$_[0] if @_;
        $p->{proto};
    }
[download]

I don't see what you mean by 'my $t=shift;' being a fragment. I have 'my $p=shift;'in the code above and it works fine. Pops first arg off and uses it as the reference, tests if there's any more params, and if so, assigns the 1st one to the named value, else just returns the named value.

oh!!!!

DOI!

Nevermind....

*sigh*...this really is one of those days.

(car sitting in drive-way won't start, tow-truck on way..., among OTHER things!)