print "foo1\n";

##</code><code>##

 
print "GOT THIS: $lines\n";

##</code><code>##

RESULT:

$ ftp_flow.pl
logfile = /tmp/ftp_flow.12547410117.log
errfile = /tmp/ftp_flow.12547410117.err
$ cat /tmp/ftp_flow.12547410117.log
FTPData.20010517.120547
foo1
GOT THIS: FTPData.20010517.120547

$ 

##</code><code>##

# send output to file
@args2 = ("$tabfile");
open (STDOUT, ">$logfile") || die "could not open log\n";
unless (system(@args2) == 0) {
        print STDERR "system(@args2) failed: $? $!\n";
        return;
}
select(STDOUT);
close(STDOUT);

print "foo1\n";

# read the file to obtain the file tabdata created
local(*LOGFILE);
open (LOGFILE, $logfile) || die "Couldn't open: $!";
$lines=<LOGFILE>; #get line 1 from the file
close(LOGFILE);
print "GOT THIS: $lines\n";
exit(0);