--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2003/01/15 19:34:03	1.319
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2003/01/28 00:09:57	1.320
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.319 2003/01/15 19:34:03 matthew Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.320 2003/01/28 00:09:57 albertel Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -2817,14 +2817,14 @@ sub EXT {
     } else {
 	$courseid=$ENV{'request.course.id'};
     }
-
     my ($realm,$space,$qualifier,@therest)=split(/\./,$varname);
     my $rest;
-    if ($therest[0]) {
+    if (defined($therest[0])) {
        $rest=join('.',@therest);
     } else {
        $rest='';
     }
+
     my $qualifierrest=$qualifier;
     if ($rest) { $qualifierrest.='.'.$rest; }
     my $spacequalifierrest=$space;