Add a counter to your first script that generates the form. Count how many records you're adding, then pass that value along using an input TYPE=HIDDEN field in the form. Then you can loop as many times as the counter value to receive all of the option buttons.
thanks very much for all your help...ill give these suggestions a try.
ill even begin to use CGI.pm (lecturers at uni taught us how to use cgi-lib - i did wonder why I was the only one using cgi-lib !!!).
cheers welshy.