BUU is right on with keeping a @args (i personally use @bind) array to push stuff onto as you append to $sql, and i use that all the time... I have, however, tried to start using SQL::Abstract when i can.

my %where = ();
$where{time} = $time if $time;
$where{date} = $date if $date;
my $SA = SQL::Abstract->new();
my ($whereSql, @whereBind) = $SA->where(\%where);
# also look at the $SA->select(), $SA->update(), etc methods
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