I would again like to thank the Monastery for their responses. I have come to the final assumption that each call to the objects that set an attribute return the object; thus, 'set' calls can be chained.

The final answer, which is so simple I that I apparently ignored, is that the '->' is left associative. This behavior as best I can tell mimics Java completely and I understand completely (I was taught computer science using Java).

To address why I did not resort to source code for a definitive answer. The code that the system uses automatically creates accessor methods using a %fields hash. I do not have enough knowledge of existing modules to know where / how these accessors are automagically created nor if the auto-functions are a result of a CPAN module, an in-house module, or a hybrid. However, my past experience with the system has shown me that the level of extension with OO Perl reaches levels so deep and convoluded that it was a much better use of time to ask for assistance from strangers with no knowledge of the innner-workings than to seek assistance in-house.

Again, I would like to thank everyone for their help. ++ for everyone ! :-)

the_Don
...making offers others can't rufuse.