report generation with format/write

[email protected] writes:
> Does anyone actually teach report generation with format/write?  I
> haven't really seen anyone using it much in the last few years, but I've
> just had a corporate client ask us to teach "reports" in Perl.

I don't teach format+write, because of the unpleasant need for every
variable you use in a format to be in scope when the format is
declared.  I'd like to separate them, but can't.

My solution is templates.  When someone asks me about report
generation, I always tell them about printf, Text::Template, the
various HTML/CGI/mod_perl doodads, and then mention formats only to
say why I don't like them.

Nat