wstarrs has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I am trying to run through a hash an check certain values from each key to re-assign the keys to other hashes. I have tried many different logic structures and I keep arriving at the same error "Can't coerce array into hash" I would appreciate some aoutside perspective, here is my current sub-routine: 
sub check_dcr {
    
    my(@keys) = keys %temp_dcr;
    
    foreach $key (@keys) {
            
        if ("$temp_dcr{$key}{RightNavLaunchDate}" le $today) {

            if ("$temp_dcr{$key}{ShowPersonal}" eq "Personal") {

                $pers_dcr_files{$key} = $temp_dcr{$key};
            }

            if ("$temp_dcr{$key}{ShowHome}" eq "Home") {

                $home_dcr_files{$key} = $temp_dcr{$key};
            }
            
            if ("$temp_dcr{$key}{ShowBusiness}" eq "Business") {

                $bus_dcr_files{$key} = $temp_dcr{$key};
            }

        } # End if statement to check for Launch Date

    } # End foreach loop to check all keys in the temporary hash

} # End routine to check the temp hash and send out keys to specified 
+hashes

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The program does not even seem to get into the first if statement... thanks, bill

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Hash Problems
by chipmunk (Parson) on May 16, 2001 at 23:39 UTC
    You're using the values of the array as hash references $temp_dcr{$key}{RightNavLaunchDate}; are you sure that they are actually hash references and not array references?

    perldiag: 

           Can't coerce array into hash
           (F) You used an array where a hash was expected, but
           the array has no information on how to map from keys
           to array indices.  You can do that only with arrays
           that have a hash reference at index 0.

    [download]
[reply]
[d/l]
[select]
      How can I take the array out of the equation? I have tried using foreach, while loops etc... and I can't seem to get around the array. I just want to go through each key of temp_dcr and compare some of the values. Would there be a way to do this using the each function?
[reply]
        The array of keys is not a problem. That's not what I was referring to.

        My suspicion is that the value of $temp_dcr{$key} is not a reference to a hash, which is what you are using it as in this snippet of code. I think that it is actually a reference to an array.

        An easy way to check is with Data::Dumper: 

        use Data::Dumper;

print Dumper %tmp_dcr;
# if %tmp_dcr is too big, just dump $tmp_dcr{$key} for one of the keys

        [download]
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[d/l]
[select]
Re: Hash Problems
by Anonymous Monk on May 16, 2001 at 23:37 UTC
    Read your Answer in the Questions Section, where you have posted before.
[reply]
Re: Hash Problems
by Anonymous Monk on May 16, 2001 at 23:46 UTC
    Show us the Data::Dumper output of %temp_dcr. It helps.
[reply]
      Here is the output: 
      $VAR1 = 'Test1';
$VAR2 = {
          'ShowHome' => 'Personal',
          'RightNavExpirationDate' => 20010521,
          'RightNavLaunchDate' => 20010515,
          'SmallGraphic' => '/templatedata/components/msn.gif'
        };
$VAR3 = 'Name';
$VAR4 = [
          'RightNavLaunchDate',
          '',
          'RightNavExpirationDate',
          '',
          'LinkURL',
          '',
          'SmallGraphic',
          '',
          'ShowHome',
          '',
          'ShowBusiness',
          '',
          'ShowPersonal',
          ''
        ];
$VAR5 = 'Test2';
$VAR6 = {
          'ShowHome' => 'Home',
          'RightNavExpirationDate' => 20010520,
          'RightNavLaunchDate' => 20010510,
          'ShowPersonal' => 'Personal',
          'SmallGraphic' => '/templatedata/components/msn.gif'
        };
$VAR7 = 'PromoPH';
$VAR8 = {
          'ShowHome' => 'Home',
          'RightNavExpirationDate' => 20001215,
          'ShowPersonal' => 'Personal',
          'SmallGraphic' => '2000-12-13'
        };
$VAR9 = 'TestLinkPH';
$VAR10 = {
           'LinkURL' => '/templatedata/components/test.asp',
           'RightNavLaunchDate' => 'Home',
           'ShowPersonal' => 'Personal',
           'SmallGraphic' => '/templatedata/components/msn.gif'
         };
$VAR11 = 'OfferNavP';
$VAR12 = {
           'ShowHome' => 'Personal',
           'RightNavExpirationDate' => 20000517,
           'RightNavLaunchDate' => 20000516,
           'SmallGraphic' => '/templatedata/components/msn.gif'
         };
$VAR13 = 'PromoP';
$VAR14 = {
           'ShowHome' => 'Personal',
           'RightNavExpirationDate' => 29991620,
           'RightNavLaunchDate' => 20000618,
           'SmallGraphic' => '/templatedata/components/msn.gif'
         };
$VAR15 = 'TestLinkP';
$VAR16 = {
           'LinkURL' => '/templatedata/components/test.asp',
           'ShowHome' => 'Personal',
           'RightNavExpirationDate' => 20000430,
           'RightNavLaunchDate' => 20000421,
           'SmallGraphic' => '/templatedata/components/msn.gif'
         };
$VAR17 = 'OfferNavPH';
$VAR18 = {
           'ShowHome' => 'Home',
           'RightNavExpirationDate' => 20000523,
           'RightNavLaunchDate' => 20000519,
           'ShowPersonal' => 'Personal',
           'SmallGraphic' => '/templatedata/components/msn.gif'
         };
Can't coerce array into hash at C:\Program Files\Interwoven\TeamSite\l
+ocal\bin\G
enerate_Right_Nav.ipl line 199.

      [download]
[reply]
[d/l]
        Where do you insert the 'Name' key? It is the Array. It is an other Value than the other keys.
[reply]

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