$pid = open(KID_TO_WRITE, "|-"); #### $fh = new FileHandle; my $sleep_count = 0; do { $pid = open($fh, "|-"); unless (defined $pid) { warn "cannot fork: $!"; die "bailing out" if $sleep_count++ > 6; sleep 10; } } until defined $pid; my (@some_data)=qw[a be ce]; if ($pid) { print $fh @some_data; close($fh) || warn "kid exited $?"; } else { while () { print "GOT: $_\n"; # child's STDIN is parent's KID } exit; # don't forget this };