{ $fh = $self->_do_ftp_cmd("retr", $file); die("File unavailable: $file") unless $fh; } use Data::Dumper; warn sprintf "FILEHANDLE EXISTS AND HERE IT IS: %s", Dumper($fh); #### OUTPUT Warning: FILEHANDLE EXISTS AND HERE IT IS $VAR1 = bless( \*Symbol::GEN16, 'Net::FTP::I' );