how do I use a hash of hashes reference in a function ?

[Anonymous Monk]

This is a rephrased version of my previous question.
I can pass a hash of hashes to a function OK:

$hash{name} = {date => "00-22-00", city=>"Chicago",};


function (\%hash1);
function (\%hash2);

However I've tried several examples given previously and none work completely

sub function {
my %hashref=%{shift()};
#the below works ok
print $hashref{name}{city},"\n";
# but adding to the hash doesn't work if I print out
# the entire hash outside this function
$hashref{name}={data1=>"moredata",};
# it does work if I print it out inside the function
}

[merlyn]

$hashref{name}={data1=>"moredata",};

Wrong syntax for adding to a hash. Use this:

$hashref{name}{data1} = "moredata";

[Fastolfe]

Just for clarification (for the original poster), your syntax:

$hashref{name} = { data1 => "moredata" };

*replaces* the reference in $hashref{name} with a new one, composed of your data1 => "moredata" hash. That's why it won't work. merlyn is correct in that if you wish to modify the hash referenced by $hashref{name} you don't do that by setting $hashref{name}, you modify it as if it were a hash: $hashref{key}{subkey} = $xyz;