You wouldn't really have to load CGI.pm, I guess. You could go with something lighter (look here for instance), or you could have a look at what CGI.pm is doing when you do print $q->redirect($your_url);. You should be able to emit the same with something like:

print "Status: 302 Moved\n";
print "Location: $your_url\n\n";
[download]

Instead of the usual "Content-type: text/html". The url can be relative as well, if that makes it easier. :) If you have cookies and other stuff this gets more complex, of course.

Not that it matters much if you can't access the documents via the web server (was that what you meant with "beneath"?) and have no intention of moving them. :) If so, the frameset idea also goes bye-bye.

As for the SQL table - probably not if you are not using mod_perl or something similar which has persistence. Doing SQL querys is very fast, but there is lots of overhead when opening a new connection to the database, so you probably lose anyways.

Not much of ideas I guess - I still think it is about as good as you can do, unless you change approach, that was all. I guess this is gonna bite me hard when someone proves me *really* wrong. :)

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You have moved into a dark place.
It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.