use Tk; $mw = MainWindow->new(); my $system = {}; $system->{blink}->[0] = "disabled"; #works but does not update as value in hashref changes my $but = $mw->Button(-text=>"Blink Unit", -state=>$system->{blink}->[0])->pack(); #does not work as state will not accept variable reference #my $but = $mw->Button(-text=>"Blink Unit", -state=>\$system->{blink}->[0])->pack(); =pod *$but->{'Configure'}->{'-state'} = \$system->{blink}->[0]; #overwrite the location of the value?? =cut