How to get scalar context of a list within a complex array

I have a complex array containing references to hashes. Some of the hash
keys point to anonymous lists. A typical element from this array looks like
this:

 

{ 

 

     '_is_control_field' => '',

     '_ind2' => '0',

     '_subfields' => [

                         'a',

                         'Japanese paper folding'

                     ],

     '_warnings' => [],

     '_tag' => 450,

     '_ind1' => ' '

};

 

Since this is the first array element, to access the second item in the list
that "_subfields" points to, I use this syntax:

 

$fields[0] {'_subfields'}->[1];

 

This returns 'Japanese paper folding.'

 

This list can vary in size from element to element, so I would like a way to
refer to the list in scalar context to get its size. How do I do that? 

 

(My current approach is to simply iterate through the list, pushing the
elements onto another array until I reach "undefined".)

                        

Many thanks!



- Chris Morgan