my @ref = ();
$username = $mem_info[2];
my @names = $username;
my $base_sql=q{SELECT username FROM members WHERE referral };

while (scalar(@names)) {
  my $sql=$base_sql.($#names?'in ('.join(',',map('?',@names)).')':'=?');
  my $sth=$dbh->prepare($sql);
  my $rv=$sth->execute(@names);
  my $res = $sth->fetchall_arrayref();
  @names=map($res->[$_][0],0..$#$res);
  push @ref, join '|',@names if (scalar(@names));
  last if $#ref == 2 ;
}

##</code><code>##

my $base_sql=q{SELECT username,status FROM members WHERE