#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

my($emltmpl) = './email_template';
my($parser) = qr/(?s)(?:\%){3}(.*?)(?:\%){3}/;
my(%tokens) =
   (
      'date'      => scalar(localtime),
      'fname'     => 'André',
      'lname'     => 'Cameron',
      'street'    => '123 Foo Bar Drive',
      'zip'       => '54321',
      'state'     => 'OZ',
      'city'      => 'Emerald City',
      'orderid'   => 'S8d65adPA-5',
      'product'   => 'widget',
      'price'     => '$9.95 USD',
      'quantity'  => 2,
      'subtot'    => '$19.90 USD',
      's&h'       => '$2.00 USD',
      'tax'       => 'n/a',
      'total'     => '$21.90 USD',
   );

{
   local($/); local(*FH);
   open(FH, $emltmpl) or die(qq[Can't open "$emltmpl" $!]);
   $emltmpl = <FH>;
   close(FH);
}

sub expand_tokens { $_[0] =~ s/$parser/$tokens{$1||''}/gme; $_[0] }

print(expand_tokens($emltmpl));

__END__

TO TRY OUT THIS EXAMPLE, create a new file in the same directory where you
run this script.  Name the new file "email_template" and copy the text below
_this line_ into the file, and then run this code.

                                                %%%date%%%
Hello %%%fname%%%,

Thanks for buying a %%%product%%%.  The order ID for this purchase
appears below.  Should you have questions regarding this order, please
direct your inquiries to WWWidget support and include your order ID.

   Order ID: %%%orderid%%%

As per your request, your %%%product%%% will be shipped to:

   %%%fname%%% %%%lname%%%
   %%%street%%%
   %%%city%%%,  %%%state%%%
   %%%zip%%%

Details of your purchase:

   item        %%%product%%%  %%%price%%% (%%%quantity%%% count)
   subtotal    %%%subtot%%%
   s&h         %%%s&h%%%
   tax         %%%tax%%%
   _______________________
   total       %%%total%%%


Regards,
The WWWidget Store
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