read_db

	$command = "";
        $command = "select how_many from how_many_ships";
        $sth=$dbh-> query($command);
        die "Error with command $command\n" unless (defined $sth);
        @arr=();
        while (@arr = $sth->fetchrow)
        {
        ($number_test_ships) = @arr;
	}

for ($current_ship = 1; $current_ship <= $number_test_ships; $current_ship++) {

	$command = "select ship_id, ship_name, ship_owner, ship_heading, ship_x, ship_y, ship_speed, ship_sighting_range, ship_sight_factor from master_ship_chart where ship_id = $current_ship";

$sth = $dbh -> query($command);
die "Error with command: $command\n" unless (defined $sth);

# iterate thru the returned rows

@arr = ($sth->fetchrow);
	{
($ship_id[$current_ship],$ship_name[$current_ship],$ship_owner[$current_ship],$ship_course[$current_ship],$ship_x[$current_ship],$ship_y[$current_ship],$ship_speed[$current_ship],$ship_sighting_range[$current_ship],$ship_sight_factor[$current_ship]) = @arr;
	}
} # end of ship for loop