Thanks, but this won't work. I need to open the data file and read some data. Later in the script, I need to open the data file again and read more data. When I use <DATA>, perl apparently reads one line at a time until it finds what I want. It then starts at the line I left off when I need to read more data. It does not start at the beginning again, so I cannot find the data I need.
The only solution I can think using the __DATA__ method would be to have my script print out *all* data to a temporary file. I could then open and close this file when I wanted data. But this seems like kind of a hack--and it would take a bit more time, though only a second or two. Paul On Wed, Feb 05, 2003 at 09:13:13AM -0500, RF wrote: > > >However, I have several files that need aren't modules but are needed > >for my script. One of these is a data file. How do I set up Makefile.pl > > >to make sure this data file gets put in a place where the script can > >read it? > > The answer verbatim from The Perl Cookbook > (http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/cookbook) > > Problem > > You have data that you want to bundle with your > program and treat as though it were in a file, but you don't want it to > be in a different file. > > Solution > > Use the __DATA__ or __END__ tokens after your program > code to mark the start of a data block, which can be > read inside your program or module from the DATA > filehandle. > > Use __DATA__ within a module: > > while (<DATA>) { > # process the line > } > __DATA__ > # your data goes here > > Similarly, use __END__ within the main program file: > > while (<main::DATA>) { > # process the line > } > __END__ > # your data goes here > > Discussion > > __DATA__ and __END__ indicate the logical end of a > module or script before the physical end of file is reached. > Text after __DATA__ or __END__ can be read through > the per-package DATA filehandle. For example, take the > hypothetical module Primes. Text after __DATA__ in > Primes.pm can be read from the Primes::DATA filehandle. > > __END__ behaves as a synonym for __DATA__ in the main > package. Text after __END__ tokens in modules is > inaccessible. > > This lets you write self-contained programs that > would ordinarily keep data kept in separate files. Often this is used > for documentation. Sometimes it's configuration data > or old test data that the program was originally developed > with, left lying about in case it ever needs to be > recreated. > > Another trick is to use DATA to find out the current > program's or module's size or last modification date. On most > systems, the $0 variable will contain the full > pathname to your running script. On systems where $0 is not correct, > you could try the DATA filehandle instead. This can > be used to pull in the size, modification date, etc. Put a special > token __DATA__ at the end of the file (and maybe a > warning not to delete it), and the DATA filehandle will be to > the script itself. > > use POSIX qw(strftime); > > $raw_time = (stat(DATA))[9]; > $size = -s DATA; > $kilosize = int($size / 1024) . 'k'; > > print "<P>Script size is $kilosize\n"; > print strftime("<P>Last script update: %c (%Z)\n", > localtime($raw_time)); > > __DATA__ > DO NOT REMOVE THE PRECEDING LINE. > > > Everything else in this file will be ignored. > > See Also > > The "Scalar Value Constructors" section of perldata > (1), and the "Other literal tokens" section of Chapter 2 of > Programming Perl > > > > -- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- ************************ *Paul Tremblay * *[EMAIL PROTECTED]* ************************ -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
