More of this for anyone that has been missing it: I've been crazy busy with work and it looks like I will continue this way for quite some time now but I think I will be working toward the database-connected cad system on future projects. Anyone know of a way to drive an sql database from Perl? I've looked briefly at a couple of projects, but not in enough detail to really assess their usability. It looks like the networked database would be the way to set this up in future projects, except for the problem that everything graphical is so mired in autocad and file-based methodology. I'm planning to look into openCascade in the near future, but the first step will be getting the perl wrapper for the dwg toolkit released. The current project is very much based on the dwg and dxf access provided by this toolkit (really the best way (for now) to get graphical data into the program (but is has the drawback that the data has no associativity)). The programming for this project has been mostly cobbled together (because of the development schedule), but has shown many of the flaws in the static-file methodology (as well as some in my perl modules' design). I think the future projects will be heading more toward a dynamically-configured networked database (if for no other reason than to save the effort of repeating the same code in multiple programs (execution or typing-wise).) I'd really like to move this process away from the "creative misuse of software" that it is now, but the complexity of the process and the changes from one job to another make the creation of very interface-intensive applications prohibitive. Maybe openCascade can help-out here? My work is in automation of custom architectural sheet-metal cladding systems (so you see why commercial software isn't available). I'm hoping that what happens with this in the next few years will have a serious impact on how we all use software for architectural and mechanical design. Right now, the system has been working with Pro-E (via trailfiles (really need a less primitive link to this system)) and AutoCAD. This allows the people to make the design decisions and my perl scripts to handle the heavy lifting. Future systems would do better with an open parametric system, but what to use for a starting point? (needs a gui for the people and an open backend for the perl scripts (possibly via C)) Another goal that we are looking at is full automation of numerically-controlled equipment (no simple task). Any suggestions on libraries or existing projects regarding this would be helpful as well. I'm set on Perl for the main programming language because of the custom nature of every job and the short development time. As things begin to show up repeatedly, a C-based module (usually tied to an existing library) would be in order, but this is not easy or quick for me. I think the main hurdle right now is creating/linking to a good human interface that can be customized to each job and used to create and modify associative data (while it is fairly simple (controlling geometry) data, the lack of associativity creates huge headaches in changes to the design, sequence, parameters, etc.) --Eric