if (-e $tmp_dir) {
    if (-l $tmp_dir) { 
       die "Temporary folder $tmp_dir is a symbolic link!\n"
    }else{
       system ("rm","-rf",$tmp_dir);
       mkdir ($tmp_dir) or 
          die "Unable to make temp folder: $tmpdir: $!\n";
    } 
}else{
    mkdir ($tmp_dir) or 
        die "Unable to make temporary folder $tmp_dir: $!\n";
}