With the CGI.pm there are at least two ways to construct tables.  Rather than try to keep up with all of those brackets and parenthesis, try this format:

print $query->header(-type=>'text/html'),
$query->start_html(-title=>'My Web Page'),
$query->start_table({-border=>'0', -width=>'400'),
$query->start_Tr,
$query->start_td({-align=>'left', -width=>'100%',
                  -colspan=>'1'),
"Header", "\n",
$query->end_td, $query->end_Tr;

while(something) {
   somecode;
   somecode;

   # Loop around and fill in table data

   print $query->start_Tr,
   $query->start_td({-align=>'left', -width=>'100%',
                     -colspan=>'1'),
   "Some Data", "\n",
   $query->end_td, $query->end_Tr;
}  #End while statement

# Close out table and web page

print $query->end_table,
$query->end_html;
[download]

As you can see, you can start a table and table rows and table data cells without having to complete them.  This method allows your HTML calls within your while statement to act without consideration of the heading section of your table.  It also allows you to create the page with only one table.  Incidentally, there are more property settings to the table statement (i.e., cellpadding) and the start_html command;  and the start_td command doesn't require colspan to be set--I just wanted to show you how to do it.  I also should point out that for start_Tr and end_Tr, the "T" is capitalized.

That's Spenser, with an "s" like the detective.

I am trying the start_table approach as suggested by Spenser. So I decieded to just create a simple table using this method before I try to create one with a while loop embedded in it. I have this much written and it compiles but my table is just a line in the center. The data is not being written to the table can you tell me why?

print $query->header();
print $query->start_html (-title=>'Roster of Players',
                           -style=>{'src'=>'/CSS/stylesheet.css'});

      print $query->h1({-align=>'center'}, '1990 MNLIGHTNING ROSTER');

      print $query->start_table({-ALIGN=>'CENTER', BORDER=>''}),"\n";
       print $query->start_Tr({-bgcolor=>'#99FF99', -valign=>'TOP', -a
+lign=>'center'});
        print $query->start_th({-width=>'150', -align=>'center', -cols
+pan=>'2'}, 'COACHING STAFF','\n');
          print $query->start_td({-width=>'150', -align=>'center', -co
+lspan=>'2'},
           'HEAD COACH', 'Mike Schlagel','\n',
           'ASST COACH', 'Jeff Jensen', '\n',
           'ASST COACH', 'Lou Skarda', '\n',
           'MANAGER', 'Chris Borer');
          print $query->end_td;
         print $query->end_th;
       print $query->end_Tr;
     print $query->end_table;
    print $query->end_html;
[download]

The start_td command is just like the <TD> command in raw HTML:  it doesn't contain actual text, just property settings like "align=left."  So, your code should look like this for a table data cell:

print $query->start_th({-width=>'150',
            -align=>'center', -colspan=>'2'}),
      "COACHING STAFF","\n",
      $query->end_th;
[download]

Of course, I'm not an expert at the CGI.pm and could very well be wrong about including text in the start_th.  But if you include the text in the directive, you may get yourself into the situation you were in before of directives getting intertwined with your while statement.  In short, I'm not giving you advanced advice here, but simple and managable ideas for keeping your sanity.  So, feel free to ignore me, as others will probably trump my post.

That's Spenser, with an "s" like the detective.

# NAME  (array-ref, read-only)
# Returns a reference to an array of field names for
# each column. The names may contain spaces but should
# not be truncated or have any trailing space. Note that
# the names have the letter case (upper, lower or mixed)
# as returned by the driver being used. Portable
# applications should use the NAME_lc entry elsewhere in
# this documentor the NAME_uc entry elsewhere in this
#  document.

print "First column name: $sth->{NAME}->[0]\n";
[download]

from perlman:lib:CGI

I think perhaps you meant, perlman:lib:DBI.

dmm

I was picking some nits and discovered one of yours.

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
F--F--F--F--F--F--F--F--
(the triplet paradiddle)