Yes, you are correct about select boxes - read samtregar's HTML::Template FAQ number 11 and you will see that your method is actually quite sound (he recommends using CGI.pm - see Re: TMPL_LOOP within a TMPL_LOOP). Perhaps a combination of associate and CGI.pm's popup_menu() and scrolling_list() would make for an elegant solution. Cheers :)

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)