#%executables is a hash of hashes, keyed by the executable name, and within that hash by names corresponding to the xml file - flag, version, etc.
#$exName is the  name of the executable being dealt with in the current loop iteration. 

open (PULLINFO, "$exName $executables{$exName}{'flag'} |") or die("blasted cutthroats...  can't they refrain from \"$! \"-ing?");
    my @versInfo = <PULLINFO>;
    close PULLINFO;
   
    unless($versInfo[$executables{$exName}{"opLine"}]=~ /((?:\d+)(?:\.\d+)+)/
    and $executables{$exName}{"version"}= $1)
    {
        FINDFO:foreach (@versInfo)
        {
            if(/((?:\d+)(?:\.\d+)+)/){$executables{$exName}{"version"} = $1;last FINDFO;}
        }
    }