# -------------------------------------------------------
  # the information is centralized for other uses, such as
  # printing headers:
  print "<tr>";
  foreach my $info ( @COL_INFO )
  {
      # skip hidden fields
      next if $info->{hide};

      # build up opening tag
      my $header = "<th";
      if ( my $width = $info->{width} )
      {
          $header .= qq| width="$width"|;
      }
      $header .= ">";
      print( $header .
             escapeHTML( $info->{title} ) .
             "</th>\n" );
  }
  print "</tr>\n";

  # -------------------------------------------------------
  # then for each row:
  while ( my $cur = $sth->fetch() )
  {
      # if necessary, you can construct a hash using
      # whatever keys you want, not just db column names:
      my %row;
      @row{ @COL_NAMES } = @$cur;

      # or maybe just pick out one value
      my $foo_id = $cur->[ $COL_INDEX{foo_id} ];

      # formatting the output is now easier, too:
      print qq|<tr valign="top">\n|;
      foreach my $info ( @COL_INFO )
      {
          my $cell = "<td";
          $cell .= qq| align="$info->{align}"|
            if $info->{align};
          $cell .= ">";

          if ( my $gen = $info->{gen} )
          {
              $cell .= $gen->( $cur );
          }
          else
          {
              my $ix = $COL_INDEX{ $info->{name} };
              $cell .= escapeHTML( $cur->[$ix] );
          }

          $cell .= "</td>\n";

          print $cell;
      }
      print "</tr>\n";
  }