Colname: col_type Colvalue: BEG normal value: BEG Colname: col_stype Colvalue: FOO|BAR FOO|BAR contains pipe character for ORs Colname: rec_number Colvalue: BAZ/* Key1=VAL1&Key2=VAL2&DATE1=20111111:20111112 contains & character - so it's the additional field with multiple key value pairs additional has pair: Key1=VAL1 Key1 | VAL1 Colname: Key1 Colvalue: VAL1 normal value: VAL1 additional has pair: Key2=VAL2 Key2 | VAL2 Colname: Key2 Colvalue: VAL2 normal value: VAL2 additional has pair: DATE1=20111111:20111112 DATE1 | 20111111:20111112 Colname: DATE1 Colvalue: 20111111:20111112 normal value: 20111111:20111112 found date: key: DATE1 - value: 20111111:20111112 from: 20111111 to: 20111112 Can't use string ("20111111:20111112") as a HASH ref while "strict refs" in use at ./short.pl line 51.