While you are right, this seems like a crazy way to organize a schema, given that he's working in mysql without benefit of views and the control over access they can provide, it might actually make sense to organize this data this way.

It may be long, it may be boring, but its essential reading if you want to use perl to manipulate a database, try perldoc DBI. You'll need it if you are going to get that valid database handle ($dbh) necessary to use the sample code above.

-- Hugh