my $sys_res = system("identify -verbose $DIR[$a] >> $dump");

    if ($sys_res) {
      # an error occurred!
      my $exit_value  = $? >> 8;
      my $signal_num  = $? & 127;
      my $dumped_core = $? & 128;  
      die "system failed: $exit_value, $signal_num, $dumped_core!"  
    }