7.12.1. Problem

7.12.2. Solution

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

7.12.3. Discussion

The _ _DATA_ _ and _ _END_ _ symbols tell the Perl compiler there's nothing more for it to do in the current file. They represent the logical end for code in a module or a program before the physical end-of-file.

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. Any text occurring after an _ _END_ _ token in a module is completely inaccessible.

This lets you write self-contained programs instead of keeping data 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 should it ever be needed again.

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.

7.12.4. See Also