diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 84e432a..9559d1c 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -13,14 +13,12 @@ RELATED TODO: how to handle deleting accounts that have comments?  go through
 and assign them to a special account number that prints (account deleted due 
 to inactivity)
 
-# screenshot submission isn't very friendly.  it would be really cool if 
-people could submit screenshots via a web interface.  We would store the 
-image and related information in the database and send email to the database 
-admins and to any maintainers of the app.  They would then be able to click 
-on a link in the email to view the image and accept/reject it.  If the image 
-sat for too long it would be rejected and an email would be send to the 
-submitter saying it timed out.  If the admin/maintainer clicked on accept it 
-would go into the db like every other image.
+# replace all mysql_query() by query_appdb() (available from include/db.php).
+When it's done we have to remove opendb() function call in incl.php and definition 
+in util.php as query_appdb already does the connection when needed.
+
+# we have to check if we really need to separate user database from appdb database
+(as seen in the config file and include/db.php)
 
 # when deleting an application we should delete linked entries (screenshots, comments, etc.)
 
diff --git a/include/db.php b/include/db.php
index 1d6ec6c..2bcb49d 100644
--- a/include/db.php
+++ b/include/db.php
@@ -1,33 +1,38 @@
 <?php
-$public_link = null;
-$private_link = null;
-
-
-function apidb_query($query)
+function query_appdb($sQuery)
 {
-    global $public_link;
+    global $hPublicLink;
 
-    if(!$public_link)
+    if(!$hPublicLink)
     {
-        $public_link = mysql_pconnect($db_public_host, $db_public_user, $db_public_pass);
-        mysql_select_db($db_public_db);
+        $hPublicLink = mysql_pconnect(APPS_DBHOST, APPS_DBUSER, APPS_DBPASS);
+        mysql_select_db(APPS_DB);
     }
-
-    return mysql_query($query, $public_link);
+    $hResult = mysql_query($sQuery, $hPublicLink);
+    if(!$hResult)
+    {
+        $sStatusMessage = "<p><b>Database Error!<br>".mysql_error()."</b></p>\n";
+        addmsg($sStatusMessage, "red");
+    }
+    return $hResult;
 }
 
 
-function userdb_query($query)
+function query_userdb($sQuery)
 {
-    global $private_link;
-    
-    if(!$private_link)
-    {
-        $private_link = mysql_pconnect($db_private_host, $db_private_user, $db_private_pass);
-        mysql_select_db($db_private_db);
-    }
-    
-    return mysql_query($query, $private_link);
-}
+    global $hPrivateLink;
 
+    if(!$hPrivateLink)
+    {
+        $hPrivateLink = mysql_pconnect(USERS_DBHOST, USERS_DBUSER, USERS_DBPASS);
+        mysql_select_db(USERS_DB);
+    }
+    $hResult = mysql_query($sQuery, $hPrivateLink);
+    if(!$hResult)
+    {
+        $sStatusMessage = "<p><b>Database Error!<br>".mysql_error()."</b></p>\n";
+        addmsg($sStatusMessage, "red");
+    }
+    return $hResult;
+}
 ?>