#getting the parameters from the cgi object
    $type    = $cgi->param('type');
    $mudpit  = $cgi->param('mudpit');
    $url     = $cgi->param('url');
    $boldRed = $cgi->param('bold_red');
    $maxHits = $cgi->param('max_hits');

##</code><code>##

my %data;
$data{$_} = $cgi->param($_) for qw(type mudpit url bold_red max_hits);