{ 
  my $state_file = "current_masterid.txt";
  my $MASTERLOGFILE;
  my $MASTERID;
  sub save_masterid
  {
    if ( defined $MASTERID ) 
    {
      open ( my $output_fh, ">", $state_file );
      print $output_fh $masterid;
      close ( $output_fh );
    }
  }
  
  sub load_masterid
  {
    if ( -f $state_file )
    {
      open ( my $input_fh, "<", $state_file );
      $MASTERID = <$input_fh>;
      close ( $input_fh );
    }
    else
    {
      $MASTERID = "00000000";
      $MASTERLOGFILE = "LOGFILE not defined";
      &save_masterid()
    }
  }
  
  sub get_masterid 
  {
    &load_masterid() unless defined $MASTERID;
    return $MASTERID;
  }
  
  sub set_masterid
  {
    ( $MASTERID ) = @_;
    &save_masterid();
  }
}