Hmm, you may have my answer mixed up with another. What I meant when I said "It could be simpler than you have it" is that, after you write your program as you initially described it (which should work), you can simplify it by removing some unnecessary steps, and it will still work, and be easier to understand.

And you don't even need to worry about these simplifications now- write the code and you might even find them as you're writing it. You have a plan, make something that works first. Then post the code here and get some critiques, if you like.