in reply to Batch image editing
This may be of some use to you:
http://www.imagemagick.org/script/perl-magick.php
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-graf/?ca=dnt-428
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-graf2/?ca=dgr-lnxw15GraphicsLine
Book:
Graphics Programming with Perl ISBN 1930110022