Hi Gerd,
> -BEGIN {
> +sub BEGIN {
As per Larry Wall's decree BEGIN starts a block, and therefore isn't a
sub.
One shoudl declare
BEGIN {
}
Not 
sub BEGIN {
}
-- 
albertel@msu.edu        BM: n^20 t20 z20 qS 
Guy Albertelli -7-9-8-  O-
    The next time the universe knocks on my door, I will pretend I
    am not home.