Remember that @INC includes "dot" (the current directory) except in taint mode. But also recall that this means the current directory of the running process, not necessarily the directory of the original script. So, if your subprograms are contained within the directory of the running process, you'll not need to extend @INC.

-- Randal L. Schwartz, Perl hacker

Just to amplify this, the current working directory of the script is determined by how the web server runs the script. It sounds like your webserver (in its current configuration) sets the current working directory to be the same as the location of your script. It also sounds like you don't have taint checking turned on.

I suggest you add use lib so that your script will continue to work if something changes in the web server configuration that affects what current working directory your script receives when it runs.

I also suggest that you make a test version of your script and turn on taint checking for it and then fix any problems that are reported.

        - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")

You can use lib to add paths to the @INC variable. The main use ofr it would be if you wanted to include a file from a non standard directory. (non-standard being not the normal perl lib directories or the directory you are running the script from.)

Another way to achieve this effect is to push the new directory directly onto the @INC array.

$japh->{'Caillte'} = $me;

"This is a small simple module which simplifies the manipulation of @INC at compile time.
It is typically used to add extra directories to perl's search path so that later C<use> or C<require> statements will find modules which are not located on perl's default search path."

The @INC variable is set to look in the various places AND the current directory:
mine is set for these paths:-
/usr/libdata/perl/5.00503/mach ,br> /usr/libdata/perl/5.00503
/usr/local/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.005/i386freebsd
/usr/local/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.005
and .

so if I want to 'use'/'require' .pl progs in say /home/perl then I can specify that in the code as

use lib /home/perl; # note lib will take a list

then I can 'require' or 'use' anything in that directory.

Hope this helps some.

Cheers
Steve

1)DO I need to use 'use lib' if i am requesting script in the CURRENT directory. In other words does @INC always include the path "."?

If anyone happens to stumble on this, and still needs help...
Unless @INC shows that it includes '.', don't assume that it does.
perl -e 'print @INC;'

--
paul