# **************************************************************

# This function check if the reference is a HASH.

#

#  @example: print "ERROR: A HASH is needed\n" if ( !is_hash(\%$hash) );

sub is_hash {

my $ref = shift;

return 0 unless ref $ref;

if ( $ref =~ /^HASH/ ) { return 1; } else { return 0; }

}