$_ = "host|db_name|user|some@thing";
($host, $database, $username, $password) = split /\|/;
$dbh = DBI->connect("DBI:mysql:$database:$host", $username, $password) || error('login');

##</code><code>##

$_ = "host|db_name|user|some@thing";
($host, $database, $username, $password) = split /\|/;
$password = "some\@thing";
$dbh = DBI->connect("DBI:mysql:$database:$host", $username, $password) || error('login');