NOT an array reference error in Perl - arrays

Question

I'm getting an error in Perl and I can't work out why.
Error: Not an ARRAY reference at Service.pm, line 20
my $array = [ { name => 'George', surname => 'Marley' } ];
my $helper = CustMessage->new();
$helper = CustMessage->getMessage($array);
then in my utility file I have:
sub getMessage {
my ($self, $args) = #_;
my $stringsArray = shift;
my $strings = Service->new({
serviceId => $self->_serviceId(),
});
return unless $strings;
$strings->getStrings($stringsArray);
}
and then in the Service method is:
sub getStrings {
my ($stringsArray, $self) = shift;
my #keys = map({ $_->{'name'} } #{$stringsArray});
my $key = join('', #keys);
$key = MIME::Base64::encode($key);
my %results;
$results{$key} = $self->_callStrings->($stringsArray);
$results{$key}->initialize();
$results{$key} = $self->{serviceCalls}->{getStrings};
return $self->{serviceCalls}->{getStrings};
}
The error is on line 2 of the getStrings method in Service.pm:
my #keys = map({ $_->{'name'} } #{$stringsArray});

Answer 1

The lines
my $helper = CustMessage->new();
$helper = CustMessage->getMessage($array);
are very odd. You are creating a new CustMessage object in $helper and immediately discarding it and overwriting it with the result of
CustMessage->getMessage($array);
which, apart from any inheritance that may be going on, is identical to
getMessage('CustMessage', $array);
and I am suspecting that you don't have a real class defined as you call it your "utility file"
Because getMessage receives its arguments like this
my ($self, $args) = #_;
my $stringsArray = shift;
you are left with
($self, $args) = ('CustMessage', $array)
$stringsArray = 'CustMessage'
and you never use $args again so your array reference is lost.
I cannot be sure what it is you actually want, because, as I said, I suspect that you don't have a proper CustMessage.pm file. But you could try
my $helper = CustMessage->new;
my $message = $helper->getMessage($array);
and then
sub getMessage {
my ($self, $stringsArray) = #_;
...
}

Answer 2

RE: I'm getting an error in Perl and I can't work out why. Error: Not an ARRAY reference at Service.pm, line 20
Try
my ($self, $stringsArray) = #_;
instead of
my ($stringsArray, $self) = shift;
# $self is always undef here due one element list assignment
since getStrings() is object method and object instance is always first element in #_ array.