sub get_field
{
#returns field value if all OK
#        -1 no $dba_file
#        -2 no field in database
#
    my ($dba_file,$field)=@_;
    my (@all,$exist,$out);
    $exist = 0;
    unless (open (x_dba_fh_x, "< ".$dba_file)){
        $out = -1;
        return ($out);
        exit(-1);
    }
    flock (x_dba_fh_x, LOCK_EX);
    while (<x_dba_fh_x>){
        if ($_ =~ /^$field\: /){
            $exist = 1;
            $out = substr($_,(length($field)+2));
            chomp ($out);
        }
    }
    flock (x_dba_fh_x, LOCK_UN);
    close (x_dba_fh_x);
    if ($exist == 0){
        $out = -2;
    }
    return ($out);
}
sub modify_field
{
#returns 1 if field has been modified successfully
#        -1 no $dba_file
#        -2 modification failed
#Note: adds the field if it doesn't exist!
    local ($dba_file,$field,$value)=@_;
    local (@all,$out,$exist);
    $exist = 0;
    @all = ();
    $value =~ s/\r/\\n/g;
    $value =~ s/\n/\\n/g;
    $value =~ s/(\\n)+/\\n/g;
    unless (open (y_dba_fh_y, "< ".$dba_file)){
        $out = -1;
        return ($out);
        exit(-1);
    }
    flock (y_dba_fh_y, LOCK_EX);
    while (<y_dba_fh_y>){
        if ($_ =~ /^$field\: /){
            push (@all, $field.':'.' '.$value."\n");
            $exist = 1;
        } else {
            push (@all, $_);
        }
    }
    flock (y_dba_fh_y, LOCK_UN);
    close (y_dba_fh_y);
 
    unless (open (y_dba_fh_y, "> ".$dba_file)){
        $out = -2;
        return ($out);
        exit(-2);
    }
    flock (y_dba_fh_y, LOCK_EX);
    foreach $temp(@all){
        print y_dba_fh_y $temp;
    }
    if ($exist == 0) {
        print y_dba_fh_y $field.':'.' '.$value."\n";
    }
    flock (y_dba_fh_y, LOCK_UN);
    close (y_dba_fh_y);
    return (1);                                                                                                                                                             
}
1;