use POSIX ":sys_wait_h";

# e.g.:
my ($pid, $listing) = pidqx( "ls" );

sub pidqx { # returns pid + the usual backtick result
    my $pid = open my $ph, "$_[0] |" or die "$!: $_[0]";
    local $/ = undef();
    my $backtick = <$ph>;
    close $ph;
    waitpid $pid, 0; 
    return ( $pid, $backtick );
}