Something

sub get_project_specific_setting {
    my $userid = $_[0];
    my $venue  = $_[1];
    my $pref   = $_[2];
             
    my $value = "";
    my $defaultvalue = 0;
    
    my @prefs = get_project_specific_prefs($userid);
    my $invenue = 0;
 
foreach my $p (@prefs) { 
        if ($p =~ /<$pref>(.*)<\/$pref>/) {
            if ($invenue == 1) {
                return $1;
            } else {    
#                $defaultvalue = $1;
            }
#        } elsif ($p eq "<venue name=\"".$venue."\">") {
         } elsif ($p =~ /(.*)\Q$venue(*)/) {
            $invenue = 1;
        } elsif ($p eq "</venue>") {
            $invenue = 0;
        }