my @dirs='';
my $dir='/usr/local/apache/cgi-bin/users';
my $choice='';
title();

#get user directories
#get all the files in the directory
opendir DIR, "$dir";
  my @directory=grep(!/^\.\.?$/, readdir DIR); # remove . and .. entries
closedir DIR;

# get only directories not files
foreach (@directory){
  my path=$dir.'/'.$_;
  if (-d $path){
    push @dirs,$_;
  }
}
# here i prove to myself that the array does contain values
foreach (@dirs){
  print "$_\n";
}

#program flow
while($choice ne 'x'){
  if ($choice ne 'x'){
    menu();
    print "\nPlease enter an option =>";
    $choice=chomp(<STDIN>);
  }

  if ($chioce eq '1'){
    # parse user details file
    $no_users=0;
    foreach (@dirs){
      my $path=$dir.'/'.$_;
      my $filename=$path.'/'.$_.'_details';
      print "$_\n"; # this prints nothing!!!!
      
      # rest of scripr........etc