Most likely it means that on line 197 of the file /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.8.0/Bio/SearchIO/Writer/TextResultWriter.pm, it is attempted to call the method 'algorithm' on something that isn't a package or object references. Usually it means you have something like:

    $obj -> algorithm ();
[download]

where $obj is undefined, or an otherwise plain scalar. Now, I expect you aren't working on TextResultWriter.pm, but on some file that calls (directly, or indirectly) a function in TextResultWriter.pm that contains this line. Then it's very well possible you aren't passing the appropriate arguments. Check your arguments. Make sure you pass objects where the function expects objects.

But of course, this is mostly guessing. You aren't showing any code.

Abigail