eval { 
  require DBI;
  DBI->import;
  # ... as is documented in perlfunc under 'use',
  # this is same as 'use DBI', except done when the eval {}
  # is run, not when compiled (eval BLOCK catches only
  # runtime errors, eval STRING must be used to catch 
  # errors that  happen at compile time, but eval BLOCK 
  # is almost always better.)
};
if ($@) { # $@ has error from eval, if any.
  # Couldn't load DBI
} else {
  my $dbh = DBI->connect(...); 
  # Loaded DBI, okay.
}
[download]

autouse apparently has the same effect as require / import

use warnings ;
use strict;

use autouse 'foo';             # perldoc autouse
eval {foo::not_here();};     # perldoc -f eval

my $we_care=0;
warn $@ if ($@ && $we_care);
[download]

Update: changed
 use autouse foo
to
 use autouse 'foo' (thanks tachyon)

--mandog

C:\>type test.pl

use warnings ;
use strict;

use autouse foo;             # perldoc autouse
eval {foo::not_here();};     # perldoc -f eval

my $we_care=0;
warn $@ if ($@ && $we_care);

C:\>perl test.pl

Bareword "foo" not allowed while "strict subs" in use at test.pl line 
+5.
Execution of test.pl aborted due to compilation errors.

C:\>type test.pl

use warnings ;
use strict;

use autouse 'foo';           # perldoc autouse
eval {foo::not_here();};     # perldoc -f eval

my $we_care=0;
warn $@ if ($@ && $we_care);

C:\>perl test.pl

C:\>

C:\>type test.pl

use warnings ;
use strict;

use autouse 'foo';           # perldoc autouse
eval {foo::not_here();};     # perldoc -f eval

warn $@ if $@;

C:\>perl test.pl

Undefined subroutine &foo::not_here called at test.pl line 6.

C:\>
[download]

I presume you mean something like the last example? cheers

tachyon

s&&rsenoyhcatreve&&&s&n.+t&"$'$`$\"$\&"&ee&&y&srve&&d&&print