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03.04.2008 at 05:22PM PST, ID: 23214702

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9.7

How do I update a database with Perl?

Zone: Perl Programming Language

Tags: Perl, IE 7

I am attempting to update a simple database with a Perl script, but I am not having much luck. Is there anything wrong with the following script?

         
           
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             #!/usr/bin/perl -w
#
# update_customer.pl
#
 
use strict;
use lib qw(c:\Perl\lib);
#use DBI;
use CGI qw(:standard);
use CGI::Carp qw(fatalsToBrowser);  # provide descriptive error messages
use Win32::ODBC;  #use ODBC package vs. DBI as in text
 
print header(); # print out "Content-Type: text/html\n\n"
 
# Get user's desired action from form
my $action = param('form_action');
 
# Connect to database
my $db = new Win32::ODBC("DSN=accessDSN")
         or die Win32::ODBC::Error();
 
 
# Go to appropriate subroutine based on users's desired action
Update_Record() if($action eq 'updaterecord');
 
######################################################
 
sub Update_Record {
   my $old__first_name  = param('firstname');
   my $old__last_name   = param('lastname');
   my $criteria         = param('criteria');
   my $attribute        = param('attribute');
   my $sql;
 
 
   $sql  = qq{UPDATE CUSTOMER set $attribute = 'criteria' WHERE LastName = 'lastname' and FirstName = 'firstname'; };
   
 
 
}
 
 
print 'SQL string to execute = ' . $sql . "\n\n";
   if ($db->Sql($sql)) {
      print "SQL Error: " . $db->Error() . "\n";
      Handle_DB_Error();
      Display_Page();
      exit;
   }
 
   Display_Page();
}
 
 
##############################################################
 
sub Display_Page {
    print qq(<html><head><title>Record Updated!</title></head>
             <body>
                <center>
                <font size="6">Record Updated!</font>
                <hr />
                <font size="4">
                <a href="main_page.html">Back to Main Page</a>
                </font><br />
                </center>
             </body>
          </html>);
}
 
################################################################
 
 
sub Handle_DB_Error {
    print qq(<html><head><title>Database Error</title></head>
             <body>
                <center>
                <font size="6">Error with database call.</font>
                <hr />
                <font size="4" color="red">ODBC DB Error</font><br />
                <font size="3">Please hit your <b>Back</b> button to 
                               re-enter the data and try again.</font>
                </center>
             </body>
             </html>);
    exit;
}

           
         

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Question Stats

Zone: Programming

Question Asked By: CharleneS77

Solution Provided By: FishMonger

Participating Experts: 2

Solution Grade: A

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03.04.2008 at 06:21PM PST, ID: 21047217

Rank: Wizard

FishMonger:

"I am attempting to update a simple database with a Perl script, but I am not having much luck."

That's not very descriptive of the problem. Are you receiving any errors? If so, what are they?

Start by changing:
use lib qw(c:\Perl\lib);

to:
use lib qw(c:/Perl/lib);

03.04.2008 at 06:26PM PST, ID: 21047237

Rank: Wizard

FishMonger:

I see a problem with this:

if ($db->Sql($sql)) {
print "SQL Error: " . $db->Error() . "\n";
Handle_DB_Error();
Display_Page();
exit;
}

You should execute either Handle_DB_Error() or Display_Page() but not both.

03.04.2008 at 06:35PM PST, ID: 21047265

Rank: Wizard

FishMonger:

I also see an unmatched brace. Remove/delete line 40.

Accepted Solution

03.04.2008 at 07:06PM PST, ID: 21047367

CharleneS77:

The error I am getting is below. I will follow your suggestions and repost shortly. Thank you.

                       
             Software error:
Global symbol "$sql" requires explicit package name at c:\inetpub\wwwroot\update_customer.pl line 44.
Global symbol "$sql" requires explicit package name at c:\inetpub\wwwroot\update_customer.pl line 45.
Unmatched right curly bracket at c:\inetpub\wwwroot\update_customer.pl line 53, at end of line
syntax error at c:\inetpub\wwwroot\update_customer.pl line 53, near "}"
Execution of c:\inetpub\wwwroot\update_customer.pl aborted due to compilation errors.
 
For help, please send mail to this site's webmaster, giving this error message and the time and date of the error.

Open in New Window

03.04.2008 at 07:09PM PST, ID: 21047378

Rank: Wizard

FishMonger:

Those errors are being caused by the brace on line 40. Delete that line and try again.

03.04.2008 at 08:30PM PST, ID: 21047754

Rank: Genius

Adam314:

Also, your sql string is using the literals 'criteria', 'lastname', and 'firstname'. I'm guessing you meant to use the parameters $old__first_name, $old__last_name, and $criteria.

Also, you have the comment "#use ODBC package vs. DBI as in text". Is there a reason you are using the ODBC module, instead of the DBI?

03.05.2008 at 03:54PM PST, ID: 21056016

CharleneS77:

OK, I found my error. It works! Thank you!

                       
         
           
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             #!/usr/bin/perl -w
#
# update_customer.pl
#
 
use strict;
use lib qw(c:\Perl\lib);
#use DBI;
use CGI qw(:standard);
use CGI::Carp qw(fatalsToBrowser);  # provide descriptive error messages
use Win32::ODBC;  #use ODBC package vs. DBI as in text
 
print header(); # print out "Content-Type: text/html\n\n"
 
# Get user's desired action from form
my $action = param('form_action');
 
# Connect to database
my $db = new Win32::ODBC("DSN=accessDSN")
         or die Win32::ODBC::Error();
 
 
# Go to appropriate subroutine based on users's desired action
Update_Record() if($action eq 'update_record');
 
######################################################
 
sub Update_Record {
   my $old__first_name  = param('firstname');
   my $old__last_name   = param('lastname');
   my $criteria         = param('criteria');
   my $attribute        = param('attribute');
   my $sql;
 
 
   $sql  = qq{UPDATE CUSTOMER set $attribute = 'criteria' WHERE LastName = 'lastname' and FirstName = 'firstname'; };
   
 
 
 
 
print 'SQL string to execute = ' . $sql . "\n\n";
   if ($db->Sql($sql)) {
      print "SQL Error: " . $db->Error() . "\n";
      Handle_DB_Error();
      Display_Page();
      exit;
   }
 
   Display_Page();
}
 
 
##############################################################
 
sub Display_Page {
    print qq(<html><head><title>Record Updated!</title></head>
             <body>
                <center>
                <font size="6">Record Updated!</font>
                <hr />
                <font size="4">
                <a href="main_page.html">Back to Main Page</a>
                </font><br />
                </center>
             </body>
          </html>);
}
 
################################################################
 
 
sub Handle_DB_Error {
    print qq(<html><head><title>Database Error</title></head>
             <body>
                <center>
                <font size="6">Error with database call.</font>
                <hr />
                <font size="4" color="red">ODBC DB Error</font><br />
                <font size="3">Please hit your <b>Back</b> button to 
                               re-enter the data and try again.</font>
                </center>
             </body>
             </html>);
    exit;
}
           
         

Open in New Window

CharleneS77

04.14.2008 at 10:09PM PDT, ID: 21356077

FYI: The above code I posted is not the correct solution. Below is the correct solution.

         
           
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             #!/usr/bin/perl -w
#
# update_customer.pl
#
 
use strict;
use CGI qw(:standard);
use CGI::Carp qw(fatalsToBrowser);  # provide descriptive error messages
use Win32::ODBC;  #use ODBC package vs. DBI as in text
 
print header(); # print out "Content-Type: text/html\n\n"
 
# Get user's desired action from form
my $action = param('form_action');
 
# Connect to database
my $db = new Win32::ODBC("DSN=accessDSN")
         or die Win32::ODBC::Error();
 
 
# Go to appropriate subroutine based on users's desired action
Update_Record() if($action eq 'update_record');
 
######################################################
 
sub Update_Record {
   my $old_first_name  = param('firstname');
   my $old_last_name   = param('lastname');
   my $criteria         = param('criteria');
   my $attribute        = param('attribute');
   my $sql;
 
 
   $sql  = qq{UPDATE CUSTOMER set $attribute = '$criteria' WHERE LastName = '$old_last_name' and FirstName = '$old_first_name';};
   
 
 
print 'SQL string to execute = ' . $sql . "\n\n";
   if ($db->Sql($sql)) {
      print "SQL Error: " . $db->Error() . "\n";
      Handle_DB_Error();
      Display_Page();
      exit;
   }
 
   Display_Page();
}
 
 
##############################################################
 
sub Display_Page {
    print qq(<html><head><title>Record Updated!</title></head>
             <body bgcolor="000000" alink="ffff00" vlink="ff9900">
                <center>
                <font color="#00FF00" size="5" face="Verdana">Record Updated!</font>
                <hr />
                <font color="#FFFF00" size="3" face="Verdana">
                <a href="project1.html">Back to Main Page</a>
                </font><br />
                </center>
             </body>
          </html>);
}
 
################################################################
 
 
sub Handle_DB_Error {
    print qq(<html><head><title>Database Error</title></head>
             <body bgcolor="000000" alink="ffff00" vlink="ff9900">
                <center>
                <font color="#00FFFF" size="5" face="Verdana">Error with database call.</font>
                <hr />
                <font color="#FF0000" size="4" face="Verdana">ODBC DB Error</font><br />
                <font color="#00FF00" size="3" face="Verdana">Please hit your <b>Back</b> button to 
                               re-enter the data and try again.</font>
                </center>
             </body>
             </html>);
    exit;
}

           
         

Open in New Window

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