gistfile1.pl

if(open $etchandle, $etcfile)
{
    foreach my $line (<$etchandle>)
    {
        $line ||= "";
        $line =~ s/\#.*//g;
        $line =~ s/\s+$//g;
        $line =~ s/^\s+//g;
        next unless $line;
        next if $line =~ /^\-[dh]/;

        if($line =~ /^[^\-]/)
        {
            my ($directive, $arg) = $line =~ /^(.*?)\s+(.*)/;
            $conf_directives->{$directive}->($arg);
            next;
        }

        push @$params, $line;
    }

}else{
    $params = [];
}

($userArg)  = "-u root";
if (grep "-u", @$params)
{
    $userArg = @$params[grep(/^-u/, @$params)];
#    $userArg = grep(/^-u/, @$params);
}

print STDOUT "Some value: $userArg";