C-F-K · August 29, 2015 14:09
diff --git a/csv2html.pl b/csv2html.pl
 # CODE PARSES .CSV FILES:
 # @csvrows = (@$row1, @$row2, @$row3...)
 # @row1 = ("field","other field","bla bla bla"...)
 # ie. an array of references to other arrays containing the values of the fields in each row

 # CODE NEEDS TO RETURN:
 # @$arrayref = (%$hash_of_row1, %$hash_of_row2...)
 # %hash_of_row1 = {FIELDS => @$row1}
 # %hash_of_row2 = {FIELDS => @$row2}...
 # @row1 = (%$hash_of_field1, %$hash_of_field2...)
 # %hash_of_field1 = {VALUE => "field"}
 # %hash_of_field2 = {vALUE => "other field"}...
 # ie. a reference to an array containing references to hashes with single keys with values of array references containing references to hashes with single keys with values of the contents of each field
 # (try not to vomit)
 # (hashes are the Perl equivalent of JS objects)

 use HTML::Template;
 my @loop_array = (); # initialize

 while (@csvrows) {

 # what i did wrong at first: structuring the loop to reflect 3 levels of output whereas there are only 2 levels of input
 # comments are numbered by the order in which i eventually built the loop
 # which i did by mentally tracking the nature of each bit of data versus its intended place in the template loop structure
 # and declaring variables as necessary rather than trying to build top-down

 	my $row_array_ref = shift @csvrows; # 1. this is now an array ref containing field values
 	
 	# 2. each of these needs to become a hash ref with the value assigned to a single key VALUE	
 	
 	my @fields_array; # 7. more backwards causality
 	
 	my %row_hash; # 9. yet more backwards causality
 	
 	while (@$row_array_ref) {
 		my %field_value_hash; # 5. backwards causality, inside loop because need a new one every time
 		
 		my $field_value_string = shift @$row_array_ref; # 3. this is now a string
 		
 		$field_value_hash{VALUE} = $field_value_string; # 4. now it's inside a hash 
 		
 		push @fields_array, \%field_value_hash; # 6. value hash ref pushed to array 
 	}
 	$row_hash{FIELDS} = \@fields_array; # 8. that array is now a ref in a hash
 	
 	push @loop_array, \%row_hash # 10. becoming repetitive
 }	

 my $template = HTML::Template->new(	
 															filename => __DATA__, # this wouldn't work but just so you can also see the template
 															loop_context_vars => 1,
 														);

 $template->param(FILENAME => __DATA__);
 $template->param(ROWS => \@loop_array); # here's the place where the array ref is actually needed
 print $template->output;

 __DATA__
 <!DOCTYPE html>
 <html>
 	<head>
 		<title>
 			<TMPL_VAR NAME=FILENAME>
 		</title>
 	</head>
 	<body>
 		<table>
 			<TMPL_LOOP NAME=ROWS>
 				<tr>
 					<TMPL_IF NAME="__FIRST__">
 						<TMPL_LOOP NAME=FIELDS>
 							<th><TMPL_VAR NAME=VALUE></th>
 						</TMPL_LOOP>
 					<TMPL_ELSE>
 						<TMPL_LOOP NAME=FIELDS>
 							<td><TMPL_VAR NAME=VALUE></td>
 						</TMPL_LOOP>
 					</TMPL_IF>
 				</tr>
 			</TMPL_LOOP>
 		</table>
 	</body>
 </html>
	# CODE PARSES .CSV FILES:
	# @csvrows = (@$row1, @$row2, @$row3...)
	# @row1 = ("field","other field","bla bla bla"...)
	# ie. an array of references to other arrays containing the values of the fields in each row

	# CODE NEEDS TO RETURN:
	# @$arrayref = (%$hash_of_row1, %$hash_of_row2...)
	# %hash_of_row1 = {FIELDS => @$row1}
	# %hash_of_row2 = {FIELDS => @$row2}...
	# @row1 = (%$hash_of_field1, %$hash_of_field2...)
	# %hash_of_field1 = {VALUE => "field"}
	# %hash_of_field2 = {vALUE => "other field"}...
	# ie. a reference to an array containing references to hashes with single keys with values of array references containing references to hashes with single keys with values of the contents of each field
	# (try not to vomit)
	# (hashes are the Perl equivalent of JS objects)

	use HTML::Template;
	my @loop_array = (); # initialize

	while (@csvrows) {

	# what i did wrong at first: structuring the loop to reflect 3 levels of output whereas there are only 2 levels of input
	# comments are numbered by the order in which i eventually built the loop
	# which i did by mentally tracking the nature of each bit of data versus its intended place in the template loop structure
	# and declaring variables as necessary rather than trying to build top-down

	my $row_array_ref = shift @csvrows; # 1. this is now an array ref containing field values

	# 2. each of these needs to become a hash ref with the value assigned to a single key VALUE

	my @fields_array; # 7. more backwards causality

	my %row_hash; # 9. yet more backwards causality

	while (@$row_array_ref) {
	my %field_value_hash; # 5. backwards causality, inside loop because need a new one every time

	my $field_value_string = shift @$row_array_ref; # 3. this is now a string

	$field_value_hash{VALUE} = $field_value_string; # 4. now it's inside a hash

	push @fields_array, \%field_value_hash; # 6. value hash ref pushed to array
	}
	$row_hash{FIELDS} = \@fields_array; # 8. that array is now a ref in a hash

	push @loop_array, \%row_hash # 10. becoming repetitive
	}

	my $template = HTML::Template->new(
	filename => __DATA__, # this wouldn't work but just so you can also see the template
	loop_context_vars => 1,
	);

	$template->param(FILENAME => __DATA__);
	$template->param(ROWS => \@loop_array); # here's the place where the array ref is actually needed
	print $template->output;

	__DATA__
	<!DOCTYPE html>
	<html>
	<head>
	<title>
	<TMPL_VAR NAME=FILENAME>
	</title>
	</head>
	<body>
	<table>
	<TMPL_LOOP NAME=ROWS>
	<tr>
	<TMPL_IF NAME="__FIRST__">
	<TMPL_LOOP NAME=FIELDS>
	<th><TMPL_VAR NAME=VALUE></th>
	</TMPL_LOOP>
	<TMPL_ELSE>
	<TMPL_LOOP NAME=FIELDS>
	<td><TMPL_VAR NAME=VALUE></td>
	</TMPL_LOOP>
	</TMPL_IF>
	</tr>
	</TMPL_LOOP>
	</table>
	</body>
	</html>