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One can think of an associative array as a simple relational database with two columns and rows labelled by keys.
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For example, they can be used to keep data defined by MIME or HTTP format message as these protocols are defined in terms of a set of header statements
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keyname: keyvalue with for example
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Content-type: text/plain # corresponding to
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$mime{Content-type} = "text/plain"; # and so on
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Similarly this data-type can be used to store values read in arguments of a UNIX command as these are either of form
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-keyname value # or
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-keyname # just to indicate option set (value = yes or no)
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