--- loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2011/07/28 18:22:44	1.1120
+++ loncom/lonnet/perl/lonnet.pm	2011/07/31 22:55:53	1.1121
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # The LearningOnline Network
 # TCP networking package
 #
-# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.1120 2011/07/28 18:22:44 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: lonnet.pm,v 1.1121 2011/07/31 22:55:53 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -306,6 +306,44 @@ sub get_server_homeID {
     return &do_cache_new('serverhomeID',$hostname,$serverhomeID,$cachetime);
 }
 
+sub get_remote_globals {
+    my ($lonhost,$whathash,$ignore_cache) = @_;
+    my (%returnhash,%whatneeded);
+    if (ref($whathash) eq 'ARRAY') {
+        foreach my $what (sort(keys(%{$whathash}))) {
+            my $type = $whathash->{$what};
+            my $hashid = $lonhost.'-'.$what;
+            my ($result,$cached); 
+            unless ($ignore_cache) {
+                ($result,$cached)=&is_cached_new('lonnetglobal',$hashid);
+                $returnhash{$what} = $result;
+            }
+            if (defined($cached)) {
+                $returnhash{$what} = $result;
+            } else {
+                $whatneeded{$what} = $type;
+            }
+        }
+        if (keys(%whatneeded) > 0) {
+            my $requested = &freeze_escape(\%whatneeded);
+            my $rep=&reply('readlonnetglobal:'.$requested,$lonhost);
+            unless (($rep=~/^refused/) || ($rep=~/^rejected/) || $rep eq 'con_lost')) {
+                my @pairs=split(/\&/,$rep);
+                if ($rep !~ /^error/) {
+                    foreach my $item (@pairs) {
+                        my ($key,$value)=split(/=/,$item,2);
+                        my $what = &unescape($key);
+                        my $hashid = $lonhost.'-'.$what;
+                        $returnhash{$what}=&thaw_unescape($value);
+                        &do_cache_new('lonnetglobal',$hashid,$returnhash{$what},600);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return %returnhash;
+}
+
 # -------------------------------------------------- Non-critical communication
 sub subreply {
     my ($cmd,$server)=@_;