sub mail {
        local $self = shift;
        local $dbh = $self->param('dbh');
        my $q = $self->query();
        local $session = $q->param('session');
....
}
[download]

Since you've got a variable called $self, I'm assuming this is an object method. What you're doing here is creating a local version of the package variable $self. So if you had a package global called $self (which you probably shouldn't) you'd be overriding it. That is generally not the behavior that you want in a method. (or any sub, really.) You want a lexical variable called $self, one which is unrelated to any other $self in any other lexical block. The reason I assumed you did not know the difference is because I saw in that code lots of locals mixed in with mys in places that did not make a lot of sense. I would write that code as:

sub mail {
        my $self = shift;
        my $dbh = $self->param('dbh');
        my $q = $self->query();
        my $session = $q->param('session');
}
[download]

Here's an excellent document explaining when to use each: Coping With Scoping.

I should probably mention that my script is actually a package using the CGI::Application base module. That alone will probably clarify some of the scope issues you're referring to.

I've read Coping With Scoping before, and I think I have a relatively adequate understanding of the differences. Of course, I know I'm not perfect (or anything resembling it), so it's quite possible I've made some errors in my scoping. Unfortunately, I generally use the "code-n-patch" method to my code... write some code, test it, fix, write some more code, etc. This usually means that I start off with a lexical value and only create a local version of the variable when it's necessary to allow scoping across to another sub. Make sense? Broken ideology? Probably. ;-)

I've uploaded the entire script to my scratchpad. If you 've got the time and/or inclination, I would greatly appreciate your criticisms.

Thanks,
-fuzzyping