Reading variables from a txt file

[Perl_Padawan]

I am an intermediate perl user and I am trying to create an web site management interface for my church website that other people will be able to use. I want to have a txt file that I can read and write to that will have editable content. Then I want the cgi to read the variable strings in the txt file and spit out html.

I want to have a txt file like this:

$box_1="random content...";

$box_2="random content...";

$box_3="random content...";

Then use it like this:

...

print $box_1;

print $box_2;

print $box_3;

Is there a way to use the raw data in the txt file as the string variables instead of opening the file, reading the contents, splitting them and assigning each one to a variable?

[davido]

It's easy to think of Data::Dumper as just a debugging and development tool; a means of visualizing data structures. But it's also a means of serializing data so that it can be eval'ed back into existence later on. Take a look at Data::Dumper's POD, and you'll find it does what you're asking for.

However, you might find it more maintainable to just use your text files as text files, and read them in. That eliminates the potential for someone editing a file in a way that creates a global variable you weren't expecting to see when you later eval the document.

[jethro]

I hope you don't really write something like this

print $box_1;

print $box_2;
...

and instead have code similar to this:

print @box;
#or
print join("\n",@box);

[cavac]

Yes, you can use require or eval. I'm doing eval in my adventure game demo 980155 although here the file is "obfuscated" as well (base64 encoded) to avoid spoilers.

Remember, this generally unsafe for user supplied content, as this will execute all Perl code in the file, not just the variables (which would still be unsafe).

[BillKSmith]

Consider using a .ini file. A quick search of CPAN reveals several modules for reading and writing in this format. Sorry, I have no practical experience to help you choose.

[cheekuperl]

require the file in which you have written the variables.

[aitap]

You can `do` any valid Perl file (as it's described in perldoc -f do). This can be unsafe, though. You may want to use some data-storing modules (like YAML, for example) instead.

[flexvault]

Welcome Perl_Padawan,

If your "file" needs to be displayed as HTML, then you might find a previous post of mine interesting. Please see http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=974964

What it allows you to do is keep the HTML, CSS, etc. external to your program and once you call the 'sub' in your code, it replaces your tokens with the dynamic data that you built with your Perl script. This keeps the Perl clean and the HTML, etc in a separate file that can be modified without touching the Perl code. The more I use the technique, the more I appreciate the Monk that put it on PM.

Good Luck