the parameter 'data' here does contain the filename yes but that is obviously only any use when the cgi program and the file are on the same machine
Well.... not quite. From the CGI docs (emphasis mine): 
               $filename = $query->param('uploaded_file');

[download]
Different browsers will return slightly different things for the name. Some browsers return the filename only. Others return the full path to the file, using the path conventions of the user's machine. Regardless, the name returned is always the name of the file on the user's machine, and is unrelated to the name of the temporary file that CGI.pm creates during upload spooling (see below).

The filename returned is also a file handle. You can read the contents of the file using standard Perl file reading calls: 

               # Read a text file and print it out
               while (<$filename>) {
                  print;
               }

               # Copy a binary file to somewhere safe
               open (OUTFILE,">>/usr/local/web/users/feedback");
               while ($bytesread=read($filename,$buffer,1024)) {
                  print OUTFILE $buffer;
               }

[download]

His use is still wrong, and the upload() method is clearer, though.

"What should it profit a man, if he should win a flame war, yet lose his cool?"

In reply to Re^2: cgi upload files by Joost
in thread cgi upload files by Anonymous Monk

Title:
Use:  <p> text here (a paragraph) </p>
and:  <code> code here </code>
to format your post, it's "PerlMonks-approved HTML":


  • Posts are HTML formatted. Put <p> </p> tags around your paragraphs. Put <code> </code> tags around your code and data!
  • Titles consisting of a single word are discouraged, and in most cases are disallowed outright.
  • Read Where should I post X? if you're not absolutely sure you're posting in the right place.
  • Please read these before you post! —
  • Posts may use any of the Perl Monks Approved HTML tags:
    a, abbr, b, big, blockquote, br, caption, center, col, colgroup, dd, del, details, div, dl, dt, em, font, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, hr, i, ins, li, ol, p, pre, readmore, small, span, spoiler, strike, strong, sub, summary, sup, table, tbody, td, tfoot, th, thead, tr, tt, u, ul, wbr
  • You may need to use entities for some characters, as follows. (Exception: Within code tags, you can put the characters literally.)
            For:     Use:
    & &amp;
    < &lt;
    > &gt;
    [ &#91;
    ] &#93;
  • Link using PerlMonks shortcuts! What shortcuts can I use for linking?
  • See Writeup Formatting Tips and other pages linked from there for more info.