use vars qw( %format );

BEGIN {
$format{GRID} = <<'FMT1';
format GRID = 
--------------------------------------------------------
@>>>: @<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<    |     @<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
$prefix_text, $left_text, $right_text
--------------------------------------------------------
.
FMT1
}    #look ma, three different block closing methods all
     #in a column down the left side, yay!

##</code><code>##

eval $format{GRID};
die "Oops eval wasn't happy with $format{GRID},\n$@" if $@;