--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2002/09/16 13:04:16	1.281
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2002/09/16 19:42:10	1.282
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.281 2002/09/16 13:04:16 www Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.282 2002/09/16 19:42:10 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -2574,7 +2574,7 @@ sub courseresdata {
 # --------------------------------------------------------- Value of a Variable
 
 sub EXT {
-    my ($varname,$symbparm,$udom,$uname)=@_;
+    my ($varname,$symbparm,$udom,$uname,)=@_;
 
     unless ($varname) { return ''; }
 
@@ -2731,10 +2731,16 @@ sub EXT {
 # --------------------------------------------- last, look in resource metadata
 
 	$spacequalifierrest=~s/\./\_/;
-	my $metadata=&metadata($ENV{'request.filename'},$spacequalifierrest);
+	my $filename;
+	if (!$symbparm) { $symbparm=&symbread(); }
+	if ($symbparm) {
+	    $filename=(split(/\_\_\_/,$symbparm))[2];
+	} else {
+	    $filename=$ENV{'request.filename'};
+	}
+	my $metadata=&metadata($filename,$spacequalifierrest);
 	if ($metadata) { return $metadata; }
-	$metadata=&metadata($ENV{'request.filename'},
-			    'parameter_'.$spacequalifierrest);
+	$metadata=&metadata($filename,'parameter_'.$spacequalifierrest);
 	if ($metadata) { return $metadata; }
 
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------ Cascade up