$im->copyResized($source,($i*($self->width()))+$a,$b,0,0,($self->width())+$c,($self->height())+$d,$self->width(),$self->height());

	}
	
	# distort the code graphic
	for(my $i=0; $i<($length*($self->width())*($self->height())/14+200); $i++)
	{
		my $a = (int(rand ($length*($self->width())))+0);
		my $b = (int(rand $self->height())+0);
		my $c = (int(rand ($length*($self->width())))+0);
		my $d = (int(rand $self->height())+0);
		my $index = $im->getPixel($a,$b);
		if ($i < (($length*($self->width())*($self->height())/14+200)/100))
		{
			$im->line($a,$b,$c,$d,$index);
		} elsif ($i < (($length*($self->width())*($self->height())/14+200)/2)) {
			$im->setPixel($c,$d,$index);
		} else {
			$im->setPixel($c,$d,$black);
		}
	}
	
	# generate a background
	my $a = int(rand 5)+1;
	my $background_img = File::Spec->catfile($self->images_folder(),"background" . $a . ".png");
	my $source = new GD::Image($background_img);
	my ($background_width,$background_height) = $source->getBounds();
	my $b = int(rand (int($background_width/13)))+0;
	my $c = int(rand (int($background_height/7)))+0;
	my $d = int(rand (int($background_width/13)))+0;
	my $e = int(rand (int($background_height/7)))+0;
	my $source2 = new GD::Image(($length*($self->width())),$self->height());
	$source2->copyResized($source,0,0,$b,$c,($length*($self->width())),$self->height(),$background_width-$b-$d,$background_height-$c-$e);

	
	# merge the background onto the image
	$im->copyMerge($source2,0,0,0,0,($length*($self->width())),$self->height(),40);
	
	# add a border
	$im->rectangle(0,0,((($length)*($self->width()))-1),(($self->height())-1),$black);

	# save the image to file
	my $png_data = $im->png;

	return \$png_data;
}

sub create_sound_file
{
	ref(my $self = shift) or croak "instance variable needed";
	my $code = shift;
	my $md5 = shift;
	my $length = length($code);

	my @chars = split('',$code);
	my $snd_file;
	local $/; # input record separator. So we can slurp the data.
	# get a random voice speaking the code
	foreach my $char (@chars)
	{
		my $voice = int(rand $num_of_soundfile_versions) + 1;
		my $src_name = File::Spec->catfile($self->images_folder(),$voice, $char . ".wav");
		warn "Open File: $src_name\n" if($self->debug() >= 2);
		open (FILE,"< $src_name") or die "Can't open File: $src_name\n";
			flock FILE, 1; # read lock
			binmode FILE;
			$snd_file .= <FILE>;
		close FILE;
		warn "Close File: $src_name\n" if($self->debug() >= 2);
	}
	return \$snd_file;
}

sub _save_file
{
	ref(my $self = shift) or croak "instance variable needed";
	my $file_ref = shift;
	my $file_name = shift;

	warn "Open File: $file_name\n" if($self->debug() >= 2);
	open (FILE,">$file_name") or die "Can't open File: $file_name \n";
		flock FILE, 2; # write lock
		binmode FILE;
		print FILE $$file_ref;
	close FILE;
	warn "Close File: $file_name\n" if($self->debug() >= 2);
}

sub generate_code 
{
	ref(my $self = shift) or croak "instance variable needed";
	my $length = shift;

	my $code = $self->generate_random_string($length);
	my $md5 = md5_hex($code);

	my ($captcha_data_ref,$output_filename);
	if ($self->type() eq 'image')
	{
		$captcha_data_ref = $self->create_image_file($code,$md5);
		$output_filename = File::Spec->catfile($self->output_folder(),$md5 . ".png");
	} elsif ($self->type() eq 'sound') {