Fellow Perl Disciple,

As mentioned, my vote is definitely for writing the code from scratch. In the long run, it will be easier on your time line and your digestive tract. Seriously, a little bit o' Perl goes a long way. In fact, I'll bet a 1200 line mass of SQL and Perl can be elegantly reduced. You may end up with a thing of beauty.

I have been in a similar situation before, although the deadline was more generous. I chose the re-write. If anything, at least the code you already have, dense as it is, gives you a rough framework to hang your work on.

Good luck. If you get stuck with any particulars, ask.