for (@files) {
    $element = $_; 
    if (-d $_) {
    push @directories, process_files ($_);
    ++$dir_counter;
    } elsif (-f $_) { 
    ++$file_counter;
   next; 
   } elsif ($_ =~ /\.dat$/i || $_ =~ /\.png$/i) {      
     ++$file_counter;	    	 
    next; 
   } else {
      print NOW "I am in else statement: process_files($_)\n";	
 } #   else loop end