Script to build html page with table containing pictures

[Mariusf]

I am a novice Perl programmer and need to change a perl script that I use to create web pages with thumbnail images and some text. Currently the script created a web page for each artist / category with all the thumb images below one another in the table. Thus the table has one column with a row for each image.

I am trying to change the script to have 3 columns in the table in the end (first testing with second column as in the attached script). The first row is filled with thumb images and text before the second row is filled etc.

I just cannot get the script to create the second column with the images etc.

I will really appreciate any help on this matter. If this problem is not suitable for the forum I appologise but will really appreciate it if a Perl programmer can contact me in this regard.

The script follows:

# Stystem to build thumbnail image pages from data file
# (Use htmlkop and htmlstert files for the start and end of each html file)
 
#Set the Parameters
 
$meesterdir = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\thumbshtml'; #Directory where HTML is written to
$datatabel = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\datafile\datafile.txt'; #Directory were data file is
$tumbsdir = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\htmlcategory'; #Directory were thumbs page that is being created will be saved
# print "$meesterdir\n";
 
#
 
#$htmlkop is the top part of HTML page
 
$htmlkopleer = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\htmlkopthumbsnew.txt'; # File where htmlkop of the thumbs page is
#sleep(1);
# HTML kop
$fx ='';
open (LEER, $htmlkopleer) || the "Cannot open $htmlkopleer \n";
while (<LEER>) {$fx .=$_};
close (LEER);
 
#print $fx;
$htmlkop = $fx;
#print "$htmlkop\n";
sleep(1);
 
$htmlstertleer='C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\htmlstertthumbs.txt'; # File where htmlstert of the thumbs page is
 
# HTML stert
$fx ='';
 
open (LEER, $htmlstertleer) || the "Cannot open $htmlstert \n";
while (<LEER>) {$fx .=$_};
close (LEER);
 
#print $fx;
$htmlstert = $fx;
#print "$htmlstert\n";
sleep(1);
 
 
#
# Now the data file is read to go further
 
#Each category is for a different artist for which we want to build a html page with all the thumnails and info of his works
 
%category = (
    'adriaanboshoff'    => 'Adriaan Boshoff',
    'alanainslie'        => 'Alan Ainslie',
    'johansmith'        => 'Johan Smith',
); # end of list
 
#print $category; #Show category on screen to show what was done, this is just for testing the script.
sleep(1);
 
#foreach $katelem (keys(%category)) {print "test $katelem $category{$katelem}\n";sleep(5)}
 
foreach $katelem (keys(%category)) {
 
    $catleernaam = $katelem;
 
    # print "$catleernaam\n"; #Show catleernaam on screen to indicate that step was done - only for testing
    # sleep(1);
 
 
    sleep(1);
 
    #$category='';
    $subcategory= '';
 
 
 
 
    $thumbleer = $tumbsdir.'\\'.$catleernaam.'.html';
    print "$thumbleer thumbleer\n\n";
 
    open (THUMBS,">$thumbleer") || die "kan nie thumb oopmaak nie
    $thumbleer\n";
 
    # Change <%cat_title%> with name of artist
    #print "$katelem $category{$katelem} wie\n";
 
    $htmlkopb = $htmlkop;
    $htmlkopb =~ s/<%cat_title%>/$category{$katelem}/;
 
    print THUMBS $htmlkopb;
 
 
    # =========================================================
    # From here the data line is read from data file and a test is done to see if it is still the same artist.
    # =========================================================
    open (LEER2, $datatabel) || the "cannot open data table
    $datatabel oopmaak nie\n";
    while (<LEER2>){
        $ding3=$_;
 
        chop($ding3); # Abstract one record line uit data table (file datafile.txt)
        @velde = split(/%|%/,$ding3); # Split fields of each record at each %|%
 
        if ($velde[24] eq $katelem) {
 
 
            # Start of cell 1 contents ========================
            print THUMBS "<tr><td align=center><font size=1><a href=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/index.html\"\><img
src=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/$velde[0]thumb.jpg\" align=center
alt=\"Click for more\"></a></font><br><font color=#ffffff align=center><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">$velde[12]</strong><br><br>
</font>
</span>
</td>"; #Cell 1 end
            print THUMBS "";
            sleep(1);
 
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Cell 2 in the same row
 
            open (LEER2, $datatabel) || the "cannot open data table $datatabel \n";
            while (<LEER2>) {
                $ding3=$_;
 
                chop($ding3); # Abstract one record line uit data table (file datafile.txt)
                @velde = split(/%|%/,$ding3); # Split fields of each record at each %|%
 
                if ($velde[24] eq $katelem) {
 
 
                    # Start cell 2 contents ========================
                    print THUMBS "<tr><td align=center><font size=1><a href=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/index.html\"\><img
src=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/$velde[0]thumb.jpg\" align=center
alt=\"Click for more\"></a></font><br><font color=#ffffff align=center><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">$velde[12]</strong><br><br>
</font>
</span>
</td>"; #Cell 2 end
                    print THUMBS "";
 
# --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
                } ;#end if;
            }; # End while leer2
 
            close (LEER2);
            print THUMBS "$htmlstert";
            close (thumbs);
        } # End foreach $katelem
 

[KevinADC]

Maybe the word "the" in some lines should be "die", for example:

open (LEER, $htmlkopleer) || the "Cannot open $htmlkopleer \n";

and there are several more lines like that. You can also add "$!" to die lines to get the specific error returned by the operating system:

open (LEER, $htmlkopleer) || die "Cannot open $htmlkopleer: $!\n";

[miller]

Hi Mariusf

I've editted your post to enclose your script in a "CODE" tag, and also to add tabbed formatting. I noticed that your brackets are currently not balanced. Your missing closing brackets in at least 2 places, so I suggest that you go through your code and fix these things.

If you're still having problems after you do that, then repost your new code in a CODE tag, and we'll talk another look.

- Miller

[Mariusf]

Hi Mariusf

I've editted your post to enclose your script in a "CODE" tag, and also to add tabbed formatting. I noticed that your brackets are currently not balanced. Your missing closing brackets in at least 2 places, so I suggest that you go through your code and fix these things.

If you're still having problems after you do that, then repost your new code in a CODE tag, and we'll talk another look.

- Miller

Dear Miller

Thank you for your suggestions, I really appreciate your help.

I have closed the brackets as suggested and included the 3rd abstraction of the image and text for the 3 column table. What happens now is that if I test the scipt with 1 image from an artist, the same image and text is used 3 times in 3 columns in the same row. In other words, my loops are not working as they should. The loops for each of the 3 columns in the row should somehow test to see if there is another image and abstract the image and text from the data line.

I include the code below again:

 
 
# Stystem to build thumbnail image pages from data file
# (Use htmlkop and htmlstert files for the start and end of each html file)
 
#Set the Parameters
 
$meesterdir = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\thumbshtml'; #Directory where HTML is written to
$datatabel = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\datafile\datafile.txt'; #Directory were data file is
$tumbsdir = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\htmlcategory'; #Directory were thumbs page that is being created will be saved
# print "$meesterdir\n";
 
#
 
#$htmlkop is the top part of HTML page
 
$htmlkopleer = 'C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\htmlkopthumbsnew.txt'; # File where htmlkop of the thumbs page is
#sleep(1);
# HTML kop
$fx ='';
open (LEER, $htmlkopleer) || die "Cannot open $htmlkopleer: $!\n";
while (<LEER>) {$fx .=$_};
close (LEER);
 
#print $fx;
$htmlkop = $fx;
#print "$htmlkop\n";
sleep(1);
 
$htmlstertleer='C:\F\Websites\Johan Smith NEW\artwork\htmlstertthumbs.txt'; # File where htmlstert of the thumbs page is
 
# HTML stert
$fx ='';
 
open (LEER, $htmlstertleer) || die "Cannot open $htmlstert: $!\n";
while (<LEER>) {$fx .=$_};
close (LEER);
 
#print $fx;
$htmlstert = $fx;
#print "$htmlstert\n";
sleep(1);
 
 
#
# Now the data file is read to go further
 
#Each category is for a different artist for which we want to build a html page with all the thumnails and info of his works
 
%category = (
    'adriaanhendrikboshoff' => 'Adriaan Hendrik Boshoff',
    'johansmith'        => 'Johan Smith',
    'alanainslie'         => 'Alan Ainslie',
); # end of list
 
#print $category; #Show category on screen to show what was done, this is just for testing the script.
sleep(1);
 
#foreach $katelem (keys(%category)) {print "test $katelem $category{$katelem}\n";sleep(5)}
 
foreach $katelem (keys(%category)) {
 
    $catleernaam = $katelem;
 
    # print "$catleernaam\n"; #Show catleernaam on screen to indicate that step was done - only for testing
    # sleep(1);
 
 
    # sleep(1);
 
    #$category='';
    $subcategory= '';
 
 
 
 
    $thumbleer = $tumbsdir.'\\'.$catleernaam.'.html';
    print "$thumbleer thumbleer\n\n";
 
    open (THUMBS,">$thumbleer") || die "cannot open thumb $thumbleer: $!\n";
 
    # Change <%cat_title%> with name of artist
    #print "$katelem $category{$katelem} wie\n";
 
    $htmlkopb = $htmlkop;
    $htmlkopb =~ s/<%cat_title%>/$category{$katelem}/;
 
    print THUMBS $htmlkopb;
 
 
    # ==================================================
    # From here the data line is read from data file and a test is done to see if it is still the same artist.
    # ==================================================
    open (LEER2, $datatabel) || die "cannot open data table $datatabel: $!\n";
    while (<LEER2>){
        $ding3=$_;
 
        chop($ding3); # Abstract one record line uit data table (file datafile.txt)
        @velde = split(/%|%/,$ding3); # Split fields of each record at each %|%
 
        if ($velde[24] eq $katelem) {
 
 
            # Start of cell 1 contents ========================
            print THUMBS "<tr><td align=center><font size=1><a href=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/index.html\"\><img
src=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/$velde[0]thumb.jpg\" align=center
alt=\"Click for more\"></a></font><br><font color=#ffffff align=center><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">$velde[12]</strong><br><br>
</font>
</span>
</td>"; #Cell 1 end
            print THUMBS "";
            sleep(1);
                } ;#end if;
            }; # End while leer2
 
# -----------------------------------------------------------------
# Cell 2 in the same row
 
            open (LEER2, $datatabel) || die "cannot open data table $datatabel: $!\n";
            while (<LEER2>) {
                $ding3=$_;
 
                chop($ding3); # Abstract one record line from data table (file datafile.txt)
                @velde = split(/%|%/,$ding3); # Split fields of each record at each %|%
 
                if ($velde[24] eq $katelem) {
 
 
                    # Start cell 2 contents ========================
                    print THUMBS "<td align=center><font size=1><a href=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/index.html\"\><img
src=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/$velde[0]thumb.jpg\" align=center
alt=\"Click for more\"></a></font><br><font color=#ffffff align=center><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">$velde[12]</strong><br><br>
</font>
</span>
</td>"; #Cell 2 end
                    print THUMBS "";
 
                } ;#end if;
            }; # End while leer2
 
# -----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
# Cell 3 in the same row
 
            open (LEER2, $datatabel) || die "cannot open data table $datatabel: $!\n";
            while (<LEER2>) {
                $ding3=$_;
 
                chop($ding3); # Abstract one record line from data table (file datafile.txt)
                @velde = split(/%|%/,$ding3); # Split fields of each record at each %|%
 
                if ($velde[24] eq $katelem) {
 
 
                    # Start cell 3 contents ========================
                    print THUMBS "<td align=center><font size=1><a href=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/index.html\"\><img
src=\"../htmldetail/$velde[0]/$velde[0]thumb.jpg\" align=center
alt=\"Click for more\"></a></font><br><font color=#ffffff align=center><span style=\"font-size: 8pt;\">$velde[12]</strong><br><br>
</font>
</span>
</td>"; #Cell 2 end
                    print THUMBS "";
 
                } ;#end if;
            }; # End while leer2
 
# -----------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
 
            close (LEER2);
            print THUMBS "$htmlstert";
            close (thumbs);
        } # End foreach $katelem 
 
 

[Mariusf]

Maybe the word "the" in some lines should be "die", for example:

open (LEER, $htmlkopleer) || the "Cannot open $htmlkopleer \n";

and there are several more lines like that. You can also add "$!" to die lines to get the specific error returned by the operating system:

open (LEER, $htmlkopleer) || die "Cannot open $htmlkopleer: $!\n";

Thank you for the inputs, just to show you how a novice I really am: I have translated my comments in the script from my African language (Afrikaans) to English before the post. I did not recocnise that "die" is used in the perl scipt and thought that is should be "the" as translated from my language into English.

I have changed all that and include your recommended "$!" where required.

I have worked on the script and included it again in a message reply below.

Thanks so far.
Marius

[KevinADC]

another thing to note is you have this at the very end:

            close (LEER2);
            print THUMBS "$htmlstert";
            close (thumbs);

it will not prevent your script from running but "thumbs" (lowercase letters) has to be "THUMBS" (uppercase letters) as it is a reference to the filehandle THUMBS.

As far as your problem goes it's hard to say, that is a lot of code to try and look through and to try and understand whats going on. The continually opening the same file over and over is probably part of the problem if not the whole problem.

            open (LEER2, $datatabel) || die "cannot open data table $datatabel: $!\n";
            while (<LEER2>) {

If you are going to print something into an html table you have to keep count of how many cells are getting printed (<td></td>) in order to know when to print a new row (</tr><tr>) and also to add empty table cells (<td></td>) to balance the rows and columns of the table. If all you ever intend is to print one row of three cells that should be easy. But if you have an unknown number or rows you have to keep track of when you come to the end of a row of cells.

[Mariusf]

another thing to note is you have this at the very end:

            close (LEER2);
            print THUMBS "$htmlstert";
            close (thumbs);

it will not prevent your script from running but "thumbs" (lowercase letters) has to be "THUMBS" (uppercase letters) as it is a reference to the filehandle THUMBS.

As far as your problem goes it's hard to say, that is a lot of code to try and look through and to try and understand whats going on. The continually opening the same file over and over is probably part of the problem if not the whole problem.

            open (LEER2, $datatabel) || die "cannot open data table $datatabel: $!\n";
            while (<LEER2>) {

If you are going to print something into an html table you have to keep count of how many cells are getting printed (<td></td>) in order to know when to print a new row (</tr><tr>) and also to add empty table cells (<td></td>) to balance the rows and columns of the table. If all you ever intend is to print one row of three cells that should be easy. But if you have an unknown number or rows you have to keep track of when you come to the end of a row of cells.

Thanks for the inputs. I realise that I am out of my depth here. Is there anybody that can help me finalising the script for payment?
Alternatively I need to look at some free photo gallery type of scripts at http://gallery.menalto.com/ or http://coppermine-gallery.net/

Does some one have any suggestions?

[KevinADC]

I have no specific suggestion but I think it is a good idea you go with a pre-written image gallery script, there are tons and tons of them available. Which to use depends on your requirements. Copper-mine looks good.