Unexpected Data::Dumper results

[tqisjim]

Here is some output from Data::Dumper:

$VAR1 = {
          'shared' => \'true',
          'parents' => [
                         {
                           'isRoot' => $VAR1->{'shared'}
                         }
                       ]
        };

Naturally, this looks like executable perl code. But it doesn't work. Upon evaluation:

  $VAR1->{parents}->[0]->{isRoot} == undef

It's clear why the results are what they are. But I'm surprised that such a ubiquitous utility would have such a fundamental shortcoming. I'm trying to use this forum to publicize some of my recent distros. And this discovery is coupled with bugs due to my blind reliance on Data::Dumper.

I'm struggling to incorporate some elegant workaround, and counting on the probability that someone has effectively dealt with this problem already.

Any thoughts or meditations? -Thanks!

-Jim