Aren't these the same? if( ! defined(@a) || (scalar @a) == 0) if( ! @a ) perl 5.6.0 is complaining "defined(@array) is deprecated " -jason Jason Stajich jason@chg.mc.duke.edu http://galton.mc.duke.edu/~jason/ (919)684-1806 (office) (919)684-2275 (fax) Center for Human Genetics - Duke University Medical Center http://wwwchg.mc.duke.edu/