Writing a small content generation system isn't difficult. Think about this, have a page template written for HTML::Template, write some object modules that each instantiate an editor block, one for text, one for uploading images. In the template make the variable names parsable, for example: <TMPL_VAR img_1_150_180> which would instantiate an image uploading obejct that checks to make sure the image, number 1, is 150 x 180 pixels.

Then using a javascript onSubmit event on a preview button, invoke code to preview the page in a separate window. When the user is happy with the page invoke, some code that saves the page as an HTML document.

To be honest it ain't rocket science. I wrote such a thing a couple fo weeks ago for a travel compant that his a monstrous Websphere/Java site. They need to change some advertising pages very quickly and they have no time to go to designers or whatever. So using a selection of templates I have given them and a couple of thousand lines of CGI::Application code they can generate a new 'landing page' in about 5 minutes and using a 'back-door' they can deploy it on the production server.

In fact, using this technology we handle dynamically generated Flash objects or two types, landing pages for ads and special offer and email templates for a truly weird Java based email customiser and sender. We also included a URL wizard function so they can select the basic features on a page and, for example, create the necessary href with Javascript to open pop-up windows, create Iframes within a page or link to documents requiring access through a Java action on the main server.

Perl truly is the duct tape of the internet because my crew did this in about 60 hours and the client is happier than a porcine in mud.

jdtoronto