perl can't use string as an array ref - perl

Question

I have 4 apps. let's call them: App1, App2, App3 and App4.
for each of these apps I have an array: for example:
my #App1_links = (...some data...);
my #App2_links = (...some data...);
my #App3_links = (...some data...);
my #App4_links = (...some data...);
Now I have a loop in my code that goes thru these 4 apps and I intend to do something like this:
my $link_name = $app_name . "_links";
where $app_name will be App1, App2 etc...
and then use it as : #$link_name
Now this code does what I intend to do when I don't use: use strict but not otherwise
The error is: Can't use string ("App1_links") as an ARRAY ref while "strict refs" in use at code.pm line 123.
How can I achieve this functionality using use strict.
Please help.

Answer 1

You are using $link_name as a symbolic reference which is not allowed under use strict 'refs'.
Try using a hash instead, e.g.
my %map = (
App1 => \#App1_links,
...
);
my $link_name = $map{$app_name};

Answer 2

As I say elsewhere, when you find yourself adding an integer suffix to variable names, think "I should have used an array".
my #AppLinks = (
\#App1_links,
\#App2_links,
\#App3_links,
# ...
);
for my $app ( #AppLinks ) {
for my $link ( #$app ) {
# loop over links for each app
}
}
or
for my $i ( 0 .. $#AppLinks ) {
printf "App%d_links\n", $i + 1;
for my $link ( #{ $AppLinks[$i] } ) {
# loop over links for each app
}
}