We have a SCORE! We have a WORKING program!
I pasted the code in my last entry and screwed up the lines (the entry box wraps lines where my editing program, PFE, does not). When I fixed it, I accidentally deleted a few characters and replaced them:
print ((join(":", $name, $stock{$name}, $shown{$name}))."\n");
Turns out that some of those characters *weren't there to begin with*, and when I checked the program, I realized I had mistyped: I had $shown{name}, not $shown{$name}.
And when I *fixed* it...it WORKED.
I knew a little coffee would help.
Well. Now I've got to get it to map that hash into the inventory file (which shouldn't be hard, just map it to a temp file and then rename the temp file and name the old inventory file "oldinv" or something so it's recoverable) and then it's time to...
*shudder*
...oh, oh. Then it's time to start trying to write the CGI and the price updater. *shudder*
Good thing I've got vacation this week.
Quick Addendum:
I got the map-to-file-and-name-files-properly thing all done up. The program actually works.It feels good to have it behind me.
I have the CGI.pm doc all printed out (Order help me) but I don't get it. As usual, my best bet is probably just to jump right in, start throwing a few examples from the books around, and fiddle with them until they do something interesting.
I'll print out a few examples from my (utterly fabulous!) _Bookshelf_ and then pore over them at Borders waiting for my SO to get done at work. Hopefully I'll get the needed fiddling done this week and can get the CGI program put together over the next few weeks.
I hope.
