snippet liz [id://293020] was the reason for coming up with this (possible) abomination. Slightly adapted here, with some more checks in case the same module is used from different locations with different settings. <P> Basically, this is a framework for a module that will either be compiled with "use bytes" or not, depending on a parameter passed (indirectly) to the import routine. This turned out rather tricky to do. <P> So, in your program you would either do: <code> use Foo qw(usebytes); </code> and the code of Foo.pm would be compiled with "use bytes" active. Alternately, if you would do: <code> use Foo; </code> in your program, then the source of Foo.pm would be compiled <B>without</B> "use bytes". <P> I was wondering whether this could / should be made into a generally available module and/or whether this could be applicable to other pragma's. Until I've made my mind up, I'll be leaving it here as this snippet. <CODE> package Foo; require bytes; # make sure the module is loaded without (un)import $bytes = 0; # flag: whether bytes should be enforced $evalled = 0; # flag: whether rest of source has been compiled sub import { if ($evalled++) { # we have evalled the rest before die qq{Can only have one setting of "use bytes" per run of Perl\n} if $bytes != ($_[1] eq "usebytes"); # different setting from before } else { # first time around $bytes = ($_[1] eq "usebytes"); # should bytes be enforced? local $/; # enable slurp mode eval <DATA>; # compile rest of source (after __DATA__) die $@ if $@; # die now if an error occurred } }; 1; # in order for require of Foo.pm to be successful __DATA__ # actual source of module starts here BEGIN {bytes->import if $bytes} # activate bytes if flag set sub new { bless {},shift } # example routine </CODE>