{ my %store = (); sub attach { my ($type, $value) = @_; if ($value) { $store{$type} = $value}; } else { my $default = "height=19 width=15 src='/images/attach/UNKNOWN.gif' border=0"; return $store{$type} if $store{$type}; $default =~ s/UNKNOWN/$type/; return $default; } } } # Now, call attach('file',"height=19 width=15 src='/images/attach/file.gif' border=0"); attach('URL',"height=19 width=15 src='/images/attach/URL.gif' border=0"); # to initialise, and attach($mime_type); # to access