Re: Using a scalar as an array name

I'd strongly advise heeding the above advice to avoid using a variable as a variable name, but eval might get you the hack you're looking for:

  my @MyArray = ( 1, 2, 3, 4 );
  my $varname = 'MyArray';
  my $x = eval '$' . $varname . '[0]';  # THIS IS BAD!!!!!
  print $x; # 1
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Update: I should re-emphasize that the above is BAD as in "don't cross the streams" -- I only posted it because it technically works and the OP insisted on knowing any kind of way to accomplish it.

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Re^2: Using a scalar as an array name by Animator (Hermit) on May 15, 2005 at 22:34 UTC
Warning: doing what the previous reply says is really insecure and should not be used! There is only one thing I can say about that: it is bad, even worse then not using 'use strict' What will happen is that it will evaluate $varname as perl-code(!), not just as a string. And Since $varname is really coming from a cgi script, meaning user input, it allows anyone to run commands! secure? I don't think so. What do you think happens when `$varname = qq(system("echo running the echo command"););` for example ?	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: Using a scalar as an array name by rvosa (Curate) on May 15, 2005 at 23:05 UTC
Okay, you are all right. I'm using a hash. See - I've learned. Happens every time I come here. :) Thank you all.	[reply]