Getting data from a mask

[<poyen aleks com>]

Hi Gtk_Perl Gurus

 I try to use the shape_combine_mask function, to do some fancy background
on my own Perl_gtk gnome_applet. On the Gtk_Perl tutorial, I've seen how
to use the shape_combine_mask with a mask created from an xpm.
(URL:http://www-zeuthen.desy.de/computing/documentation/perl/gtkperl-tutorial/tut-38.html)
But now, I would like to get the bitmap or pixmap, the data itself to play
with it, with Bitmap, or anything else.
My question is : How can I get the Bitmap, or pixmap data , and not only
Gtk::Gdk::Pixmap=HASH(0x8209708). How can I get what's inside ?

For those who are wondering why I'm doing that, I've a nice pixmap on my
gnome panel, and I would like to have a fancy perl_gtk applet on it. So I
want the applet to be transparent wheter than grey on most pixel possible.
I think I can do that with shape_combine_mask, but first I need to have a
mask.

Hope this would be too confusing, and that I'm note writing tooo many
silly things !

Thanks for helping ....

OPQ