Don't use DEFAULT. I use something like this on Stonehenge's template setup:

  TRY; 
    INSERT "stonehenge/insert/${template.class}/col${template.instance
+}.pod" 
      WRAPPER stonehenge/column_individual; 
  CATCH file; 
    "<!-- cannot find stonehenge/insert/${template.class}/col${templat
+e.instance}.pod -->"; 
  END;
[download]

The TRY/CATCH lets me take an alternate path if something fails. And of course, I've got access to the very same variables in the alternate branch.

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker