Passing parameters to subroutine?

I have three subroutines. sub form3 won't receive any of the variables and I don't know why. It is probably a simple solution, but I've tried everything! This is just a snippet of my code:

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  # This all has to be done using path info.  I'm not quite sure how to do that.  I did the same program using hidden variables, and it worked fine.
 
.

.

.
 
$buffer = $ENV{'QUERY_STRING'};
 
if($FORM{'form'} == 2)

{

        &form2;         

        exit;

}

elsif($FORM{'form'} == 3 || $FORM{'form'} == 4)

{

#      &form3($initial, $increment, $numvalues, $numcols);

        &form3;

        exit;

}        

else

{

        &form1;         

        exit;

}
 
sub form1 {

print "<form method='get' value=$url>";

print "<input type='hidden' name='form' value=2>";
 
print "Enter # to increment: ";

print "<input type='text' name='initial' value=2>";

print "Enter # to increment by: ";

print "<input type='text' name='increment' value=3>";

print "Enter # of times to increment: ";

print "<input type='text' name='numvalues' value=10>";

print "<input type='submit' name='submit' value='Submit'>";

}
 
sub form2 {
 
 # sub form2 receives the 3 variables (initial, increment, numvalues)
 
print "<form method='get' value=$url>";
 
print "Enter number of columns: ";

print "<input type='text' name='numcols' value=3>";

print "<input type='submit' name='submit' value='Submit'>";

}
 
sub form3 {
 
 # sub form3 does not receive any of the variables (initial, increment, numvalues, numcols)
 
print "<form method='get' value=$url>";
 
print "test"; # test prints out
 
print $initial, $increment, $numvalues, $numcols; #nothing prints out

}

Jun 23 '09 #1

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2769

JWest46088

I guess what I'm actually asking is how to use path_info to get form3 to accept the variables ($initial, $increment, $numvalues).

Jun 23 '09 #2

RonB

589

Expert Mod 512MB

Since you haven't shown us where and how you're assigning those vars, we can't say why there is nothing being printed.

Jun 23 '09 #3

JWest46088

@RonB
They are assigned like this right before the subroutine calls:

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$initial = $FORM{'initial'};

$increment = $FORM{'increment'};

$numvalues = $FORM{'numvalues'};

$numcols = $FORM{'numcols'};

Jun 23 '09 #4

RonB

589

Expert Mod 512MB

From the limited code you posted I can tell that you're not using the strict pragma or CGI module, and it's a very good bet that you haven't enabled warnings (with either the -w switch or the warnings pragma).

Every Perl script you write should have these 2 use statements.

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use strcit;

use warnings;

CGI scripts that process form data should include this:

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use CGI;

While debugging cgi scripts, you should include this:

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use CGI::Carp qw(fatalsToBrowser warningsToBrowser);

and immediately after printing the header, you do this:

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warningsToBrowser(1);

The combination of those items will tell you a lot of what's wrong.

Here's easiest and IMO the best method to import the form submission and put it into a hash.

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use CGI;
 
my $cgi = CGI->new;

my %form = $cgi->Vars;

strict - Perl pragma to restrict unsafe constructs
http://search.cpan.org/~nwclark/perl.../lib/strict.pm

warnings - Perl pragma to control optional warnings
http://search.cpan.org/~nwclark/perl...ib/warnings.pm

CGI - Handle Common Gateway Interface requests and responses
http://search.cpan.org/~lds/CGI.pm-3.43/CGI.pm

CGI::Carp - CGI routines for writing to the HTTPD (or other) error log
http://search.cpan.org/~lds/CGI.pm-3.43/CGI/Carp.pm

Jun 23 '09 #5

JWest46088

Here is my complete code:

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#!/usr/bin/perl
 
BEGIN

{

        open(STDERR, ">&STDOUT");

        select(STDERR); $| = 1;

        select(STDOUT); $| = 1;

        print qq{Content-type: text/html\n\n

        <title>Assignment #5b (CS Credit)</title>

        <body text="white" bgcolor="blue">

        <font face="arial" size="4">

        <div align="center">};

}
 
my $url = '/~westj2/cgi-bin/assignment5b_CS_credit.cgi';
 
$buffer = $ENV{'QUERY_STRING'};

$ENV{'PATH_INFO'} = '/$initial/$increment/$numvalues/$numcols/';
 
@pairs = split(/&/, $buffer);

foreach $pair (@pairs)

{

        ($name, $value) = split(/=/, $pair);

        $value =~ tr/+/ /;

        $value =~ s/%([a-fA-F0-9][a-fA-F0-9])/pack("C", hex($1))/eg;

        $name =~ tr/+/ /;

        $name =~ s/%([a-fA-F0-9][a-fA-F0-9])/pack("C", hex($1))/eg;
 
        if($FORM{$name} eq "" )

        {

                $FORM{$name} = $value;

        }

        else

        {

                $FORM{$name}  .= " " . $value;

        }

}

$initial = $FORM{'initial'};

$increment = $FORM{'increment'};

$numvalues = $FORM{'numvalues'};

$numcols = $FORM{'numcols'};
 
if($FORM{'form'} == 2)

{

        &form2($initial, $increment, $numvalues);

#       &form2;

        exit;  

}

elsif($FORM{'form'} == 3 || $FORM{'form'} == 4)

{

#       &form3($initial, $increment, $numvalues, $numcols);

        &form3;

        exit;

}

else

{

        &form1;

        exit;

}
 
sub form3

{

        print "<FORM METHOD='GET' ACTION='$url/$intitial/$increment/$numvalues/$numcols/'>";

.              

.

.

}
 
sub form1

{

        print qq{

        <form method="get" action="$url">

        <input type="hidden" name="form" value=2><br>
 
        <table align='center'>

        <tr>

        <td><b><font face='arial' color='white' size='3'>

        Enter a number to increment:

        </td>

        <td><input type='text' name='initial' value='2'></td>

        </tr>

        <br>

        <tr>

        <td><b><font face='arial' color='white' size='3'>

        Enter an amount to increment by:

        </td>

        <td><input type='text' name='increment' value='3'></td>

        </tr>

        <br>

        <tr>

        <td><b><font face='arial' color='white' size='3'>

        Enter number of times to increment:

        </td>

        <td><input type='text' name='numvalues' value='10'></td>

        </tr>

        </table>

        <br>

        <br>

        <p align='center'>  

        <input type='submit' name='submit' value='Submit'>

        <input type='reset'>

        </FORM>};

}
 
sub form2

{

        my @nums = @_;
 
        print qq{

        <form method='get' action='/~westj2/cgi-bin/assignment5b_CS_credit.cgi/initial=$nums[0]/increment=$nums[1]/numvalues=$nums[2]'>

        <input type="hidden" name="form" value=3>

        <br><br>

        Number of columns:

        <input type='text' name='numcols' value='3'>

        <br><br>

        <input type='submit' name='submit' value='Submit'>

        <input type='reset'>

        </FORM>};

#       &form3($initial, $increment, $numvalues, $numcols);

}

Jun 23 '09 #6

RonB

589

Expert Mod 512MB

Did you instructor tell you that you can't use Perl's de facto standard modules for cgi scripts or the warnings and strict pragmas?

Jun 23 '09 #7

RonB

589

Expert Mod 512MB

$ENV{'PATH_INFO'} = '/$initial/$increment/$numvalues/$numcols/';

Why are you doing that?

Since none of those vars have been assigned, $ENV{'PATH_INFO'} will end up haveing a value of:

'/////'

Jun 23 '09 #8

JWest46088

I figured it out. Thanks anyway!

Jun 23 '09 #9

KevinADC

4,059

Expert 2GB

@JWest46088
ouch .....

Jun 24 '09 #10

RonB

589

Expert Mod 512MB

@KevinADC
Ya, I agree, but if (s)he wants to get a C minus (at best) on the assignment :-( , then I say "so be it".

Jun 24 '09 #11

JWest46088

@KevinADC
Why "ouch"? What do you mean?

Jun 24 '09 #12

KevinADC

4,059

Expert 2GB

@JWest46088
After the time and energy that Ron put into helping you all he gets is a "Thanks anyway"? Maybe I am projecting, but I would take that as a backhanded compliment. I doubt you meant it that way, and I'm not saying you owe Ron or anyone anymore gratitude than you feel is appropriate, it was just rather funny that Ron gave you so much help and you gave him so little gratitude. The help and the gratitude are free so you may as well be generous. ;)

Then again, Ron is a filthy rich CEO of an evil corporation that takes advantage of children in third world nations so this could be karma in action***.

*** joke joke joke

Jun 24 '09 #13

RonB

589

Expert Mod 512MB

@KevinADC
lol, I like that.

I wish I was "a filthy rich CEO", but the rest isn't far from the truth when you consider I work for the largest "Electronics Superstore" retailer in the US.

Jun 24 '09 #14

JWest46088

@KevinADC
Ron, I apologize if I offended you in any way. I did not mean it to come off that way. I do appreciate the help you were trying to give me. After playing around with it a little more, I figured it out myself. I didn't use the advice you offered because, honestly, I didn't know how to. Once again, I apologize.

Jun 24 '09 #15

numberwhun

3,509

Expert Mod 2GB

@JWest46088
My suggestion is that if you don't know or understand what is being suggested, then say that. I would rather have someone tell me they don't understand so that I can maybe put my suggestions another way or provide more information that have them just say "Thanks, I figured it out" and go about their way. We are here to help and not trying to criticize. Our suggestions that seem like criticism are actually valid points, such as that pragmas that Ron suggested.... they are not required by Perl, but those of us who code Perl everyday make them a requirement because of what they do.

I would suggest you pick up the "Learning Perl" book. It is a great introductory tutorial into the world of Perl and will help with your questions. Also, the Perl FAQ will also help dramatically.

Regards,

Jeff

Jun 25 '09 #16

RonB

589

Expert Mod 512MB

Apology accepted. :)

If you have a good quality instructor, then (s)he will put comments in your code when grading so that you will better understand how to improve your code for the next assignment.

Feel free to ask us for additional help on your assignments, but keep in mind that we can/will guide you but not do your assignments for you.

Jun 25 '09 #17

Passing parameters to subroutine?

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