Perl for Web Site Management

Chapter 6. Generating HTML

Continuing the example begun in the previous chapter, it’s time for us to modify our script, make_exhibit.plx, to output the HTML pages for the SprocketExpo 2000 exhibitor’s directory.

The Modified make_exhibit.plx Script

The final version of make_exhibit.plx is given in Example 6-1. It features a fair number of changes from the previous version, but don’t worry; we’ll be going through those changes one by one, explaining them all.

Example 6-1. The final version of make_exhibit.plx

#!/usr/bin/perl -w # make_exhibit.plx # this script reads a pair of data files, extracts information # relating to a group of tradeshow exhibitors, and writes # out a browseable web-based directory of those exhibitors use strict; # configuration section: my $exhibit_file = './exhibit.txt'; my $category_file = './category.txt'; my $base_path = '/w1/s/sprocketexpo/exhibit'; my $base_url = '/exhibit'; my $show_name = 'SprocketExpo 2000'; # scriptwide variables: my %listing; # key: company name ($co_name). # value: HTML-ized listing for this company. my %letter_count; # key: lowercase letter. # value: count of exhibitors starting with # that letter (for creating entries # in %listing_path). my %listing_path; # key: company name ($co_name). # value: path (relative to $base_path) of # this company's HTML listing page. # takes the form 'listings/a/a1.html'. my %index_line; # key: company name ($co_name). # value: HTML-ized <LI> link to listing page. my %companies_by_category; # key: ...