Get a CGI::param() variable with undef checking.

Allows you to get a CGI parameter without worrying about whether it is defined (a big problem i had with use diagnostics). It also allows for a default value.
Update: Added a default default value....

use CGI;

# Gets a HTTP paramater from CGI->param() with error checking.
# $_[0] = param to get
# $_[1] = default value if the param is not defined
sub getparam
{
  $query = new CGI;
  ($param, $value) = (@_,"");
  if (defined(CGI->param($param)))
  {
    return CGI->param($param);
  } else {
    return $value;
  }
}
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Re: Get a CGI::param() variable with undef checking. by Your Mother (Archbishop) on Nov 13, 2004 at 08:17 UTC
I think you probably don't want to create a new CGI object every time you call the sub. It would be expensive and there's no need. The call style ( @_, '' ) is kinda weird too and would fail under strict as written. Here's a redraft. `use CGI (); # at top of script/module # transparently take over function param() if desired sub param { my $param = shift \|\| return; my @values = CGI::param($param); return '' unless @values; return wantarray ? @values : $values[0]; }` [download]	[reply] [d/l]

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Re: Get a CGI::param() variable with undef checking.
by Your Mother (Archbishop) on Nov 13, 2004 at 08:17 UTC

I think you probably don't want to create a new CGI object every time you call the sub. It would be expensive and there's no need. The call style ( @_, '' ) is kinda weird too and would fail under strict as written. Here's a redraft.

use CGI (); # at top of script/module

# transparently take over function param() if desired
sub param {
    my $param = shift || return;
    my @values = CGI::param($param);
    return '' unless @values;
    return wantarray ? @values : $values[0];
}
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