First, the first line should probably be #!/usr/bin/perl. Did you type this in or copy-and-paste? If you just typed it in, subtle errors can creep in that make it difficult for folks to help you. (Been there, felt that pain.)

Second, this code doesn't survive a perl -c check if you put use strict; before the use CGI; line, saying that Global symbol "$department_type" requires explicit package name where you use $department_type. Did you mean to use $department_type_local?

Third, the method call $query->rows likely isn't doing what you think it's doing. Check what the DBI docs have to say about it:

`rows'
  $rv = $sth->rows;

  Returns the number of rows affected by the last row
  affecting command, or -1 if the number of rows is not known
  or not available.

  Generally, you can only rely on a row count after a *non*-
  `SELECT' `execute' (for some specific operations like
  `UPDATE' and `DELETE'), or after fetching all the rows of a
  `SELECT' statement.

  For `SELECT' statements, it is generally not possible to
  know how many rows will be returned except by fetching them
  all. Some drivers will return the number of rows the
  application has fetched so far, but others may return -1
  until all rows have been fetched. So use of the `rows'
  method or `$DBI::rows' with `SELECT' statements is not
  recommended.
[download]

So you probably want to try to scroll through your results before bailing.

Fourth, as other folks have mentioned, using RaiseError (to set: $dbh->{RaiseError} = 1 before you prepare the $query statement handle) will help immensely to pinpoint where errors are occurring.

Fifth, your while statement should read:

 while ( my @data = $query->selectrow_array() )

since you've already prepared the $query handle, you might as well use it! :-)

Finally, does your SQL statement work? That is, have you tested it out with your database's query tool and seen that it works ok?

Hope this helps!

Chris
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