I prefer writing out my HTML over using CGI.pm to write it -- primarily because when I'm not using templates, I often copy/paste from Dreamweaver (my favorite WYSIWYG HTML editor).

But, I use the lovely qq() tag so I can format my code nicely. I'm anal when it comes to my code. :)

print qq(
<TR>
  <TD valign="top">Delete This Post? <input type="checkbox" name="box$
+post_number" value="onepost"></TD>
  <TD>
    <table width="295">
      <TR>
        <TD>$_</TD>
      </TR>
    </TABLE>
  </TD>
</TR>
<TR bgcolor="#000066">
  <TD colspan="2">&nbsp;</TD>
</TR>
);
[download]

As for your question, I'd think about delimiting your records differently to make it easier to know which record you want to delete. I'd use HTML comments.

<!MESSAGE 1006873233>
This is my message.  There are many like it, but this one is mine.
<!/MESSAGE 1006873233>
[download]

You could certainly expand those comments out to the more standard format: <!-- MESSAGE 1006873233 -->. But, I intentionally wrote it the other way because that's how I use it.. and I was hoping someone might see that and say "HEY, STUPID! That's really bad because..." Then I can waste a day and go run Perl code to change all 30000+ of these comments on my site.