my $template = HTML::Template->new(filename => $f_name, die_on_bad_par
+ams => 0);
[download]

die_on_bad_params - if set to 0 the module will let you call $template->param(param_name => 'value') even if 'param_name' doesn't exist in the template body. Defaults to 1.

That worked very well - thanks for pointing it out. I was able to remove the conditional altogether so I think it will be a permanent piece of my armoury

(BTW sorry about the RTFM aspect and thanks for not pointing it out - I relied on the info in the website as I still find module docs a bit beyond my ability. That should improve with experience, I hope!)

Ummm...

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

use HTML::Template;

my $temp = q|<TMPL_VAR name="mouth"><nothing-\|-bob><TMPL_VAR name="bo
+b">|;

$template = HTML::Template->new(scalarref => \$temp);
$template->param(bob=>"bob");
print $template->output;
__DATA__
<nothing-|-bob>bob
[download]

You don't actually need to set the parameter as it will be regarded as '' if it's undefined. Try seeing how the parse stack is actually breaking up your code. To do this, try the following:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

use HTML::Template;
use Data::Dumper;

my $template = HTML::Template->new(filename => $f_name,debug=>1);
print Dumper($template);
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This should provide you with a play-by-play parsing of the template. Furthermore, if you don't want something displayed, why use comments? Why not just use TMPL_COND to check whether or not the variable is set? Example:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

use HTML::Template;


my $temp = q|<TMPL_IF bob>something and <TMPL_VAR bob>
<TMPL_ELSE>bob failed</TMPL_IF>
<TMPL_IF joe>not displayed<TMPL_ELSE>joe failed</TMPL_IF>
<TMPL_IF jim>not displayed either because 0 is false
<TMPL_ELSE>jim failed</TMPL_IF>|;

my $template = HTML::Template->new(scalarref=>\$temp);
$template->param(bob=>"bob",jim=>0);
print $template->output;
__DATA__
something and bob

joe failed
jim failed
[download]

Finally, what HTML is the template producing? Any unclosed comments that may have just been a copy and paste error? This has happened to me before as well. Hope this helps.

antirice    
The first rule of Perl club is - use Perl
The ith rule of Perl club is - follow rule i - 1 for i > 1

# fill in some parameters in the template
$template->param(Number => $Number);
$template->param(new => $new);
$template->param(story => $story);
$template->param(id_no => $id_no);
$template->param(message_no => $message_no);
if (($check == '0') or ($check == '3') or ($check == '4')) {
    $template->param(tart => $tart);
    $template->param(ear => $ear);
    $template->param(mouth => $mouth);
}
[download]

And if you don't know how to indent your code properly, then by all means let Perltidy decide for you. I would rather all newcomers use Perltidy to indent their code than have them just slam stuff to us. Oh and by the way ... HTML::Template::param() accepts a list, so you can say stuff like:

# fill in some parameters in the template
$template->param(
    Number     => $Number,
    new        => $new,
    story      => $story,
    id_no      => $id_no,
    message_no => $message_no,
);
[download]

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)

No excuses - I accept the smacked botty. I do indent generally, and am not sure why I didn't in this case. All part of the learning curve, I suppose.

I'm very interested in what you say about param() accepting a list as this point doesn't come out in Sam Tregar's explanation he uses the code as I do (tho' with impeccable indentation):

# fill in some parameters in the template
  $template->param(home => $ENV{HOME});
  $template->param(path => $ENV{PATH});
[download]

So thanks very much for that.