Thanks for the comments. I did try perl debugger, but it sure buggers me. No hints detected down in that dirty dungeon. Of course, during my whole career of sysadmin/DBA who programs a bit, I have only once found that sort of debugger to like tell me anything useful, and that one time it was C. Guess I'll never be a real programmer.

I have barely touched the problem since then cuz it only makes the monthly run break, guess I better get busy. Anyway, I'm thinking now it is a subtle database corruption because I do have a lock problem sitting in the database.

So Perl & DBI are not apparently the problem after all except in that the error message is well, like most error messages, totally unhelpful.

That perl and TK debugger looks really interesting, Thanks!

--
-ken rich       "I'm continually AMAZED at
                 th'breathtaking effects of
                 WIND EROSION!!"  (Zippy)
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