--- loncom/interface/loncoursedata.pm	2003/06/17 21:45:36	1.78
+++ loncom/interface/loncoursedata.pm	2003/06/19 12:45:54	1.79
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network with CAPA
 #
-# $Id: loncoursedata.pm,v 1.78 2003/06/17 21:45:36 matthew Exp $
+# $Id: loncoursedata.pm,v 1.79 2003/06/19 12:45:54 matthew Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -916,7 +916,7 @@ sub update_student_data {
                                  $sname.':'.$sdom.' in course '.$courseid.
                                  ':'.$tmp[0]);
         $returnstatus = 'error getting data';
-        return $returnstatus;
+        return ($returnstatus,undef);
     }
     if (scalar(@tmp) < 1) {
         return ('no data',undef);
@@ -940,7 +940,7 @@ sub update_student_data {
     my $num_parameters = 0;
     my $store_performance_command = 'INSERT INTO '.$performance_table.
         ' VALUES '."\n";
-    return 'error' if (! defined($dbh));
+    return ('error',undef) if (! defined($dbh));
     while (my ($current_symb,$param_hash) = each(%student_data)) {
         #
         # make sure the symb is set up properly
@@ -994,14 +994,14 @@ sub update_student_data {
         &Apache::lonnet::logthis(' bigass insert error:'.$dbh->errstr());
         &Apache::lonnet::logthis('command = '.$store_parameters_command);
         $returnstatus = 'error: unable to insert parameters into database';
-        return $returnstatus,\%student_data;
+        return ($returnstatus,\%student_data);
     }
     $dbh->do($store_performance_command);
     if ($dbh->err()) {
         &Apache::lonnet::logthis(' bigass insert error:'.$dbh->errstr());
         &Apache::lonnet::logthis('command = '.$store_performance_command);
         $returnstatus = 'error: unable to insert performance into database';
-        return $returnstatus,\%student_data;
+        return ($returnstatus,\%student_data);
     }
     $elapsed += Time::HiRes::time - $start;
     #
@@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ sub ensure_current_data {
         !$found_student     || !$found_part   ||
         !$found_performance || !$found_parameters) {
         if (&init_dbs($courseid)) {
-            return 'error';
+            return ('error',undef);
         }
     }
     #
@@ -1225,13 +1225,12 @@ sub get_current_state {
 #        }
 #    }
     #
-    if (defined($data)) {
-        if (defined($symb)) {
-            return %{$data->{$symb}};
-        } else {
-            return %$data;
-        }
-    } elsif ($status eq 'no data') {
+    if (defined($data) && defined($symb) && ref($data->{$symb})) {
+        return %{$data->{$symb}};
+    } elsif (defined($data) && ! defined($symb) && ref($data)) {
+        return %$data;
+    } 
+    if ($status eq 'no data') {
         return ();
     } else {
         if ($status ne 'okay' && $status ne '') {