$sqlStr = "select createwbparserun( '$directory' , '$filename' ) "; print $sqlStr. "\n" ; my $sth = $db_in->prepare( $sqlStr ); $sth->execute(); my @aRow = $sth->fetchall_arrayref([0]); print Dumper @aRow; my @ta = $aRow[0]; print Dumper @ta; print " the array: " . $ta[0][0] . "\n" ; ## $wb_runkey = $aRow[0]; print "WORKBOOK run key: " . $wb_runkey . "\n" ; #### select createwbparserun( 'C:/dev/HN_optimum/' , 'FM Mk 14 - 60M200007_DB200609.xls' ) $VAR1 = [ [ '45' ] ]; $VAR1 = [ [ '45' ] ]; the array: ARRAY(0xcec7960) WORKBOOK run key: 0 Died at parseExcelWB.pl line 197.