if (!($pid = fork))
 {

   # child process -- returns with 0 as pid

   exec('/root/Phase2/OperatorView4/recurse5.pl', $btnMpIp);

 } else { # we are in parent process; Store the process ID of the child in the hash

   $hash_ref->{$btnMpIp}->{processid} = $pid;

 }

}