Hi All,
My environment is Apache, mod-perl, Apache::DBI, oracle backend,
everything works fine. The problem is always MY code :)
I'm trying to figure out the correct/efficient way to initialize
constants in a module. What I need to do is initialize various
constants when Apache is started, whether hard coded, read in from a
file or extracted from a database. I have managed to thoroughly
confuse myself and have the following questions.
What is the difference between how a BEGIN block and an anonymous block
in a module loaded into mod_perl? At different times I understand,
though
I probably don't understand the implications of that in a mod-perl
environment.
The reason I ask is: as a begin block my initializations do not take
effect
yet as an anonymous block they do. Or is this based in my lack of
understanding of perl?
Are anonymous blocks in a module only read and executed when mod-perl
first loads them, ie once?
Another problem is when I try to build a SELECT HTML element with a
call to
the CGI module. In my anonymous block all of a sudden the HTML form
variables
are no longer available with the CGI::param call. Yet I can build the
select element later in the cgi scripts using the same variables
without a problem.
Huh? Did I mention I'm confused and my head hurts :}
In a simpler line, should I have a use DBI() in startup.pl as well as
the
PerlModule Apache::DBI in httpd.conf?
I will summarize and post responses.
TIA
Dave
Code snippets
####################################################
# from httpd.conf
AddModule mod_perl.c
PerlSetEnv ORACLE_HOME /opt/oracle
PerlSetEnv DSOURCE dbi:Oracle:IMG
PerlSetEnv DATACLERK public_tst
PerlSetEnv PSSWD opentoall
PerlModule Apache::Registry
PerlModule Apache::DBI
PerlWarn On
PerlTaintCheck On
PerlRequire /opt/apache/conf/startup.pl
#################################################################
#all of startup.pl
use CGI ();
use COMMON ();
use WSERVICES ();
Apache::DBI->connect_on_init($ENV{"DSOURCE"}, $ENV{"DATACLERK"},
$ENV{"PSSWD"},
{ PrintError => 1, #warn() on errors
RaiseError => 0, # don't die on error
AutoCommit => 1, # commit executes immediately
}
);
###################################################################
# WSERVICES.pm
package WSERVICES;
require Exporter;
use strict;
use COMMON; # wrapper for basic file and db manipulation
use DBD::Oracle qw(:ora_types);
use CGI qw/:html :cgi :form/;
our(@DB_NAMES $FILE_NAME $NUMPERPAGE
$GEOCODED_LIST $LOCATION);
our @ISA = qw(Exporter);
our @EXPORT = qw(@DB_NAMES $FILE_NAME $NUMPERPAGE,
$GEOCODED_LIST $LOCATION example_sub);
# As a begin block none of the following initializations occur
# all subs in COMMON.pm
{
$NUMPERPAGE = 12;
$FILE_NAME = &Readfile('file.txt'); #see COMMON.pm
&Create_DB_Connection;
@DB_NAMES = @{&Get_Select_List()};
&Destroy_DB_Connection;
#following code destroys variables passed through CGI param sub
# yet exact same call will work if called in cgi script or subroutine
$GEOCODED_LIST = scrolling_list(-name=>'CITY_LOC',
-default=>$LOCATION,
-values=>\@DB_NAMES,
-size=> 1);
}
sub examplesub{return 43;}
1;
######################################################
--
Dave Morgan
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
403 399 2442
"perl Makefile.PL; make install;" is just way too convenient
