diff --git a/Changes b/Changes
index bc1bc03c..19f517d7 100644
--- a/Changes
+++ b/Changes
@@ -4,6 +4,13 @@
 a WWV.
 3. Added some logging for set/priv (un)set/lockout.
 4. Added test long path calc to sh/muf
+5. Only wonder down the msg queue every minute
+6. Put in the initial DB code (at last), you can create and remove local and
+standard remote dbs, you can import AK1A style .FUL ascii databases, you can
+enquire on a local or remote database.
+7. A return ping to a node will clear down all outstanding pings to
+that node (which might cause some confusion if more then one ping is
+outstanding for a node, but then - shit happens).
 04Nov99=======================================================================
 1. Removed ~ from the end of the PC18.
 2. Removed a hangover from duff character checking in cluster.pl
diff --git a/cmd/Aliases b/cmd/Aliases
index 9c5094e4..ef5172cc 100644
--- a/cmd/Aliases
+++ b/cmd/Aliases
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ package CmdAlias;
 
 %alias = (
     '?' => [
-	  '^\?', 'help', 'help',
+	  '^\?', 'apropos', 'apropos',
 	],
     'a' => [
 	  '^ann.*/full', 'announce full', 'announce', 
diff --git a/cmd/db.pl b/cmd/db.pl
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29b..00000000
diff --git a/cmd/dbavail.pl b/cmd/dbavail.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9d898514
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/dbavail.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# Database update routine
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
+#
+my ($self, $line) = @_;
+my @out;
+
+my $f;
+
+foreach $f (values %DXDb::avail) {
+	push @out, "DB Name          Location" unless @out;
+	push @out, sprintf "%-15s  %-s", $f->name, $f->remote ? $f->remote : "Local"; 
+}
+return (1, @out);
diff --git a/cmd/dbcreate.pl b/cmd/dbcreate.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5ef4fe7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/dbcreate.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# Database update routine
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
+#
+my ($self, $line) = @_;
+my ($name, $remote) = split /\s+/, $line;
+my @out;
+
+return (1, $self->msg('e5')) if $self->priv < 9;
+
+return (1, $self->msg('db6', $name)) if DXDb::getdesc($name);
+DXDb::new($name, $remote);
+push @out, $self->msg($remote ? 'db7' : 'db8', $name, $remote);
+return (1, @out);
diff --git a/cmd/dbdelkey.pl b/cmd/dbdelkey.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..34198bfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/dbdelkey.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# Database update routine
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
+#
+my ($self, $line) = @_;
+my @f = split /\s+/, $line;
+my @out;
+
+
+return (1, @out);
diff --git a/cmd/dbgetkey.pl b/cmd/dbgetkey.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f48def42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/dbgetkey.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# Database update routine
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
+#
+my ($self, $line) = @_;
+my @f = split /\s+/, $line;
+my @out;
+
+my $name = shift @f if @f;
+my $db = DXDb::getdesc($name);
+return (1, $self->msg('db3', $name)) unless $db;
+
+if ($db->remote) {
+	for (@f) {
+		my $n = DXDb::newstream($self->call);
+		DXProt::route(undef, $db->remote, DXProt::pc44($main::mycall, $db->remote, $n, uc $db->name,uc $_, $self->call));
+	}
+} else {
+	for (@f) {
+		my $value = $db->getkey($_);
+		if ($value) {
+			push @out, split /\n/, $value;
+		} else {
+			push @out, $self->msg('db2', $_, $db->{name});
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+return (1, @out);
diff --git a/cmd/dbimport.pl b/cmd/dbimport.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..55d5e632
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/dbimport.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# Database update routine
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
+#
+my ($self, $line) = @_;
+my ($name, $fn) = split /\s+/, $line;
+my @out;
+
+return (1, $self->msg('e5')) if $self->priv < 9;
+
+my $db = DXDb::getdesc($name);
+return (1, $self->msg('db3', $name)) unless $db;
+return (1, $self->msg('db1', $db->remote )) if $db->remote;
+return (1, $self->msg('e3', 'dbimport', $fn)) unless -e $fn;
+
+my $state = 0;
+my $key;
+my $value;
+my $count;
+
+open(IMP, $fn) or return (1, "Cannot open $fn $!");
+while (<IMP>) {
+	chomp;
+	s/\r//g;
+	if ($state == 0) {
+		if (/^\&\&/) {
+			$state = 0;
+			next;
+		}
+		$key = uc $_;
+		$value = undef;
+		++$state;
+	} elsif ($state == 1) {
+		if (/^\&\&/) {
+			if ($key =~ /^#/) {
+			}
+			$db->putkey($key, $value);
+			$state = 0;
+			$count++;
+			next;
+		}
+		$value .= $_ . "\n";
+	}
+}
+close (IMP);
+
+push @out, $self->msg('db10', $count, $db->name);
+return (1, @out);
diff --git a/cmd/dbremove.pl b/cmd/dbremove.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..98cdfdf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/dbremove.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# Database update routine
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
+#
+my ($self, $line) = @_;
+my ($name) = split /\s+/, $line;
+my @out;
+
+return (1, $self->msg('e5')) if $self->priv < 9;
+my $db = DXDb::getdesc($name);
+
+return (1, $self->msg('db3', $name)) unless $db;
+$db->delete;
+push @out, $self->msg('db9', $name);
+
+return (1, @out);
diff --git a/cmd/dbupdate.pl b/cmd/dbupdate.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..34198bfa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/dbupdate.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#!/usr/bin/perl
+#
+# Database update routine
+#
+# Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
+#
+my ($self, $line) = @_;
+my @f = split /\s+/, $line;
+my @out;
+
+
+return (1, @out);
diff --git a/perl/DXCommandmode.pm b/perl/DXCommandmode.pm
index b7f8e8f4..13286cc5 100644
--- a/perl/DXCommandmode.pm
+++ b/perl/DXCommandmode.pm
@@ -242,7 +242,11 @@ sub run_cmd
 						$Cache{$package}->{sub} = $c;
 					}
 					$c = $Cache{$package}->{sub};
-					@ans = &{$c}($self, $args);
+					eval {
+						@ans = &{$c}($self, $args);
+				    };
+					
+					return ($@) if $@;
 				}
 			} else {
 				dbg('command', "cmd: $cmd not found");
diff --git a/perl/DXDb.pm b/perl/DXDb.pm
index 1641a840..49da69c9 100644
--- a/perl/DXDb.pm
+++ b/perl/DXDb.pm
@@ -5,5 +5,324 @@
 # Copyright (c) 1999 Dirk Koopman G1TLH
 #
 
+package DXDb;
+
+use strict;
+use DXVars;
+use DXLog;
+use DXUtil;
+use DB_File;
+
+use Carp;
+
+use vars qw($opentime $dbbase %avail %valid $lastprocesstime $nextstream %stream);
+
+$opentime = 5*60;				# length of time a database stays open after last access
+$dbbase = "$main::root/db";		# where all the databases are kept;
+%avail = ();					# The hash contains a list of all the databases
+%valid = (
+		  accesst => '9,Last Access Time,atime',
+		  createt => '9,Create Time,atime',
+		  lastt => '9,Last Update Time,atime',
+		  name => '0,Name',
+		  db => '9,DB Tied hash',
+		  remote => '0,Remote Database',
+		 );
+
+$lastprocesstime = time;
+$nextstream = 0;
+%stream = ();
+
+# allocate a new stream for this request
+sub newstream
+{
+	my $call = uc shift;
+	my $n = ++$nextstream;
+	$stream{$n} = { n=>$n, call=>$call, t=>$main::systime };
+	return $n;
+}
+
+# delete a stream
+sub delstream
+{
+	my $n = shift;
+	delete $stream{$n};
+}
+
+# get a stream
+sub getstream
+{
+	my $n = shift;
+	return $stream{$n};
+}
+
+# load all the database descriptors
+sub load
+{
+	my $s = readfilestr($dbbase, "dbs", "pl");
+	if ($s) {
+		my $a = { eval $s } ;
+		confess $@ if $@;
+		%avail = %{$a} if $a
+	}
+}
+
+# save all the database descriptors
+sub save
+{
+	my $date = cldatetime($main::systime);
+	
+	writefilestr($dbbase, "dbs", "pl", \%avail, "#\n# database descriptor file\n# Don't alter this by hand unless you know what you are doing\n# last modified $date\n#\n");
+}
+
+# get the descriptor of the database you want.
+sub getdesc
+{
+	return undef unless %avail;
+	
+	my $name = lc shift;
+	my $r = $avail{$name};
+
+	# search for a partial if not found direct
+	unless ($r) {
+		for (values %avail) {
+			if ($_->{name} =~ /^$name/) {
+				$r = $_;
+				last;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return $r;
+}
+
+# open it
+sub open
+{
+	my $self = shift;
+	$self->{accesst} = $main::systime;
+	return $self->{db} if $self->{db};
+	my %hash;
+	$self->{db} = tie %hash, 'DB_File', "$dbbase/$self->{name}";
+#	untie %hash;
+	return $self->{db};
+}
+
+# close it
+sub close
+{
+	my $self = shift;
+	if ($self->{db}) {
+		untie $self->{db};
+	}
+}
+
+# close all
+sub closeall
+{
+	if (%avail) {
+		for (values %avail) {
+			$_->close();
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+# get a value from the database
+sub getkey
+{
+	my $self = shift;
+	my $key = uc shift;
+	my $value;
+
+	# make sure we are open
+	$self->open;
+	if ($self->{db}) {
+		my $s = $self->{db}->get($key, $value);
+		return $s ? undef : $value;
+	}
+	return undef;
+}
+
+# put a value to the database
+sub putkey
+{
+	my $self = shift;
+	my $key = uc shift;
+	my $value = shift;
+
+	# make sure we are open
+	$self->open;
+	if ($self->{db}) {
+		my $s = $self->{db}->put($key, $value);
+		return $s ? undef : 1;
+	}
+	return undef;
+}
+
+# create a new database params: <name> [<remote node call>]
+sub new
+{
+	my $self = bless {};
+	my $name = shift;
+	my $remote = shift;
+	$self->{name} = lc $name;
+	$self->{remote} = uc $remote if $remote;
+	$self->{accesst} = $self->{createt} = $self->{lastt} = $main::systime;
+	$avail{$self->{name}} = $self;
+	mkdir $dbbase, 02775 unless -e $dbbase;
+	save();
+}
+
+# delete a database
+sub delete
+{
+	my $self = shift;
+	$self->close;
+	unlink "$dbbase/$self->{name}";
+	delete $avail{$self->{name}};
+	save();
+}
+
+#
+# process intermediate lines for an update
+# NOTE THAT THIS WILL BE CALLED FROM DXCommandmode and the
+# object will be a DXChannel (actually DXCommandmode)
+#
+sub normal
+{
+	
+}
+
+#
+# periodic maintenance
+#
+# just close any things that haven't been accessed for the default
+# time 
+#
+#
+sub process
+{
+	my ($dxchan, $line) = @_;
+
+	# this is periodic processing
+	if (!$dxchan || !$line) {
+		if ($main::systime - $lastprocesstime >= 60) {
+			if (%avail) {
+				for (values %avail) {
+					if ($main::systime - $_->{accesst} > $opentime) {
+						$_->close;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			$lastprocesstime = $main::systime;
+		}
+		return;
+	}
+
+	my @f = split /\^/, $line;
+	my ($pcno) = $f[0] =~ /^PC(\d\d)/; # just get the number
+
+	# route out ones that are not for us
+	if ($f[1] eq $main::mycall) {
+		;
+	} else {
+		$dxchan->route($f[1], $line);
+		return;
+	}
+
+ SWITCH: {
+		if ($pcno == 37) {		# probably obsolete
+			last SWITCH;
+		}
+
+		if ($pcno == 44) {		# incoming DB Request
+			my $db = getdesc($f[4]);
+			if ($db) {
+				if ($db->{remote}) {
+					sendremote($dxchan, $f[2], $f[3], $dxchan->msg('dx1', $db->{remote}));
+				} else {
+					my $value = $db->getkey($f[5]);
+					if ($value) {
+						my @out = split /\n/, $value;
+						sendremote($dxchan, $f[2], $f[3], @out);
+					} else {
+						sendremote($dxchan, $f[2], $f[3], $dxchan->msg('dx2', $f[5], $db->{name}));
+					}
+				}
+			} else {
+				sendremote($dxchan, $f[2], $f[3], $dxchan->msg('dx3', $f[4]));
+			}
+			last SWITCH;
+		}
+
+		if ($pcno == 45) {		# incoming DB Information
+			my $n = getstream($f[3]);
+			if ($n) {
+				my $mchan = DXChannel->get($n->{call});
+				$mchan->send($f[2] . ":$f[4]");
+			}
+			last SWITCH;
+		}
+
+		if ($pcno == 46) {		# incoming DB Complete
+			delstream($f[3]);
+			last SWITCH;
+		}
+
+		if ($pcno == 47) {		# incoming DB Update request
+			last SWITCH;
+		}
+
+		if ($pcno == 48) {		# incoming DB Update request 
+			last SWITCH;
+		}
+	}	
+}
+
+# send back a trache of data to the remote
+# remember $dxchan is a dxchannel
+sub sendremote
+{
+	my $dxchan = shift;
+	my $tonode = shift;
+	my $stream = shift;
+
+	for (@_) {
+		$dxchan->send(DXProt::pc45($main::mycall, $tonode, $stream, $_));
+	}
+	$dxchan->send(DXProt::pc46($main::mycall, $tonode, $stream));
+}
+
+# various access routines
+
+#
+# return a list of valid elements 
+# 
+
+sub fields
+{
+	return keys(%valid);
+}
+
+#
+# return a prompt for a field
+#
+
+sub field_prompt
+{ 
+	my ($self, $ele) = @_;
+	return $valid{$ele};
+}
+
+no strict;
+sub AUTOLOAD
+{
+	my $self = shift;
+	my $name = $AUTOLOAD;
+	return if $name =~ /::DESTROY$/;
+	$name =~ s/.*:://o;
+  
+	confess "Non-existant field '$AUTOLOAD'" if !$valid{$name};
+	@_ ? $self->{$name} = shift : $self->{$name} ;
+}
 
 1;
diff --git a/perl/DXMsg.pm b/perl/DXMsg.pm
index bc6ed47e..9f4a1d7b 100644
--- a/perl/DXMsg.pm
+++ b/perl/DXMsg.pm
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ $maxage = 30 * 86400;			# the maximum age that a message shall live for if not m
 $last_clean = 0;				# last time we did a clean
 @forward = ();                  # msg forward table
 $timeout = 30*60;               # forwarding timeout
-$waittime = 60*60;              # time an aborted outgoing message waits before trying again
-$queueinterval = 2*60;          # run the queue every 2 minutes
+$waittime = 30*60;              # time an aborted outgoing message waits before trying again
+$queueinterval = 1*60;          # run the queue every 1 minute
 $lastq = 0;
 
 
@@ -130,21 +130,22 @@ sub process
 	# this is periodic processing
 	if (!$self || !$line) {
 
-		# wander down the work queue stopping any messages that have timed out
-		for (keys %busy) {
-			my $node = $_;
-			my $ref = $busy{$_};
-			if (exists $ref->{lastt} && $main::systime > $ref->{lastt} + $timeout) {
-				dbg('msg', "Timeout, stopping msgno: $ref->{msgno} -> $node");
-				$ref->stop_msg($node);
-
-				# delay any outgoing messages that fail
-				$ref->{waitt} = $main::systime + $waittime + rand(120) if $node ne $main::mycall;
-			}
-		}
-
-		# queue some message if the interval timer has gone off
 		if ($main::systime > $lastq + $queueinterval) {
+
+			# wander down the work queue stopping any messages that have timed out
+			for (keys %busy) {
+				my $node = $_;
+				my $ref = $busy{$_};
+				if (exists $ref->{lastt} && $main::systime >= $ref->{lastt} + $timeout) {
+					dbg('msg', "Timeout, stopping msgno: $ref->{msgno} -> $node");
+					$ref->stop_msg($node);
+					
+					# delay any outgoing messages that fail
+					$ref->{waitt} = $main::systime + $waittime + rand(120) if $node ne $main::mycall;
+				}
+			}
+
+			# queue some message if the interval timer has gone off
 			queue_msg(0);
 			$lastq = $main::systime;
 		}
@@ -367,7 +368,6 @@ sub process
 				$ref->stop_msg($self->call);
 				$ref = undef;
 			}
-			
 			last SWITCH;
 		}
 
diff --git a/perl/DXProt.pm b/perl/DXProt.pm
index 751daf04..e433fdc4 100644
--- a/perl/DXProt.pm
+++ b/perl/DXProt.pm
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ use DXProtout;
 use DXDebug;
 use Filter;
 use Local;
+use DXDb;
 
 use Carp;
 
@@ -670,11 +671,7 @@ sub normal
 			last SWITCH;
 		}
 		if ($pcno == 37 || $pcno == 44 || $pcno == 45 || $pcno == 46 || $pcno == 47) {
-			if ($field[1] eq $main::mycall) {
-				;
-			} else {
-				$self->route($field[1], $line);
-			}
+			DXDb::process($self, $line);
 			return;
 		}
 		
@@ -699,9 +696,11 @@ sub normal
 					# it's a reply, look in the ping list for this one
 					my $ref = $pings{$field[2]};
 					if ($ref) {
-						my $r = shift @$ref;
-						my $dxchan = DXChannel->get($r->{call});
-						$dxchan->send($dxchan->msg('pingi', $field[2], atime($main::systime), $main::systime - $r->{t})) if $dxchan;
+						while (@$ref) {
+							my $r = shift @$ref;
+							my $dxchan = DXChannel->get($r->{call});
+							$dxchan->send($dxchan->msg('pingi', $field[2], atime($main::systime), $main::systime - $r->{t})) if $dxchan;
+						}
 					}
 				}
 				
diff --git a/perl/DXProtout.pm b/perl/DXProtout.pm
index 6df70ad7..887e0dcb 100644
--- a/perl/DXProtout.pm
+++ b/perl/DXProtout.pm
@@ -272,6 +272,28 @@ sub pc42
 	return "PC42^$fromnode^$tonode^$stream^";
 }
 
+# remote db request
+sub pc44
+{
+	my ($fromnode, $tonode, $stream, $db, $req, $call) = @_;
+	$db = uc $db;
+	return "PC44^$tonode^$fromnode^$stream^$db^$req^$call^";
+}
+
+# remote db data
+sub pc45
+{
+	my ($fromnode, $tonode, $stream, $data) = @_;
+	return "PC45^$tonode^$fromnode^$stream^$data^";
+}
+
+# remote db data complete
+sub pc46
+{
+	my ($fromnode, $tonode, $stream) = @_;
+	return "PC46^$tonode^$fromnode^$stream^";
+}
+
 # bull delete
 sub pc49
 {
diff --git a/perl/DXUtil.pm b/perl/DXUtil.pm
index 7fae6317..d7ca5ed2 100644
--- a/perl/DXUtil.pm
+++ b/perl/DXUtil.pm
@@ -10,13 +10,14 @@ package DXUtil;
 
 use Date::Parse;
 use IO::File;
+use Data::Dumper;
 
 use Carp;
 
 require Exporter;
 @ISA = qw(Exporter);
 @EXPORT = qw(atime ztime cldate cldatetime slat slong yesno promptf 
-			 parray parraypairs shellregex readfilestr
+			 parray parraypairs shellregex readfilestr writefilestr
              print_all_fields cltounix iscallsign
             );
 
@@ -204,22 +205,25 @@ sub readfilestr
 {
 	my ($dir, $file, $suffix) = @_;
 	my $fn;
-	
+	my $f;
 	if ($suffix) {
-		$fn = "$dir/$file.$suffix";
+		$f = uc $file;
+		$fn = "$dir/$f.$suffix";
 		unless (-e $fn) {
-			my $f = uc $file;
+			$f = lc $file;
 			$fn = "$dir/$file.$suffix";
 		}
 	} elsif ($file) {
+		$f = uc $file;
 		$fn = "$dir/$file";
 		unless (-e $fn) {
-			my $f = uc $file;
+			$f = lc $file;
 			$fn = "$dir/$file";
 		}
 	} else {
 		$fn = $dir;
 	}
+
 	my $fh = new IO::File $fn;
 	my $s = undef;
 	if ($fh) {
@@ -229,3 +233,46 @@ sub readfilestr
 	}
 	return $s;
 }
+
+# write out a file in the format required for reading
+# in via readfilestr, it expects the same arguments 
+# and a reference to an object
+sub writefilestr
+{
+	my $dir = shift;
+	my $file = shift;
+	my $suffix = shift;
+	my $obj = shift;
+	my $fn;
+	my $f;
+	
+	confess('no object to write in writefilestr') unless $obj;
+	confess('object not a reference in writefilestr') unless ref $obj;
+	
+	if ($suffix) {
+		$f = uc $file;
+		$fn = "$dir/$f.$suffix";
+		unless (-e $fn) {
+			$f = lc $file;
+			$fn = "$dir/$file.$suffix";
+		}
+	} elsif ($file) {
+		$f = uc $file;
+		$fn = "$dir/$file";
+		unless (-e $fn) {
+			$f = lc $file;
+			$fn = "$dir/$file";
+		}
+	} else {
+		$fn = $dir;
+	}
+
+	my $fh = new IO::File ">$fn";
+	my $dd = new Data::Dumper([ $obj ]);
+	$dd->Indent(1);
+	$dd->Terse(1);
+    $dd->Quotekeys(0);
+#	$fh->print(@_) if @_ > 0;     # any header comments, lines etc
+	$fh->print($dd->Dumpxs);
+	$fh->close;
+}
diff --git a/perl/Messages b/perl/Messages
index ae63bd01..f0932783 100644
--- a/perl/Messages
+++ b/perl/Messages
@@ -25,6 +25,16 @@ package DXM;
 				constart => 'connection to $_[0] started',
 				disc1 => 'Disconnected by $_[0]',
 				disc2 => '$_[0] disconnected',
+				db1 => 'This database is hosted at $_[0]',
+				db2 => 'Key: $_[0] not found in $_[1]',
+				db3 => 'Sorry, database $_[0] doesn\'t exist here',
+				db4 => 'Sorry, database $_[0] located at $_[1] isn\'t currently online',
+				db5 => 'Accessing remote database on $_[0]...standby...',
+				db6 => 'Database $_[0] already exists, delete it first',
+				db7 => 'Database $_[0] created for remote node $_[1]',
+				db8 => 'Database $_[0] created locally',
+				db9 => 'Database $_[0] removed',
+				db10 => '$_[0] records imported into $_[1]',
 				dx1 => 'Frequency $_[0] not in band (see show/band); usage: DX [BY call] freq call comments',
 				dx2 => 'Need a callsign; usage: DX [BY call] freq call comments',
 				dxs => 'DX Spots flag set on $_[0]',
diff --git a/perl/cluster.pl b/perl/cluster.pl
index c3f61038..8b45e2bd 100755
--- a/perl/cluster.pl
+++ b/perl/cluster.pl
@@ -178,6 +178,9 @@ sub cease
 	};
 	dbg('local', "Local::finish error $@") if $@;
 
+	# close all databases
+	DXDb::closeall;
+	
 	# disconnect users
 	foreach $dxchan (DXChannel->get_all()) {
 		next if $dxchan->is_ak1a;
@@ -346,6 +349,10 @@ DXMsg::clean_old();
 print "reading cron jobs ...\n";
 DXCron->init();
 
+# read in database descriptors
+print "reading database descriptors ...\n";
+DXDb::load();
+
 # starting local stuff
 print "doing local initialisation ...\n";
 eval {
@@ -375,6 +382,7 @@ for (;;) {
 		DXProt::process();		# process ongoing ak1a pcxx stuff
 		DXConnect::process();
 		DXMsg::process();
+		DXDb::process();
 		eval { 
 			Local::process();       # do any localised processing
 		};