1) pass the variables to the sub (recomended)
2) create the sub within the else block (not recomended).

Just to further explain, here's some example code that will give you the same results.

# $foo and $bar are not accessable outside of this scope
{
  my ($foo, $bar) = qw(Hello world);
  DoSomething();
}

# this is outside of the above scope so it can not access $foo and $ba
+r
sub DoSomething {
  print "$foo $bar\n";
}
[download]

# $foo and $bar are not accessable outside of this scope
{
  my ($foo, $bar) = qw(Hello world);
  DoSomething();


  # this is inside the scope so it can access $foo and $bar
  sub DoSomething {
    print "$foo $bar\n";
  }
}
[download]

I suspect your error is not related to the forking in any way. From your question I'm guessing that your subs look sth like this

sub Initialize_child {
  print $foo;
}
[download]

use strict;
my $foo = 1;
bar();

sub bar {
  print $foo;
}
[download]

use strict;
{
  my $foo = 1;
  bar();
}

sub bar {
  print $foo;
}
[download]

If this isn't your problem, post some more code.

-- Hofmator

This doesn't work any longer because variables declared with my are not visible in subroutines called from the same scope unless the subroutine is declared in this scope as well (see example above).

this is the issue. i wasn't thinking it through, and obsessing on the forking, not on the scoping.

The code actually looks OK, but be aware that parent/child relationships and lexical scoping (the kind you're getting with my) are very different things. You may find it helpful to read MJD's excellent document Coping with Scoping or Variable Scoping in Perl: the basics (which actually gets into fairly advanced stuff).

Wild guess: are you trying to use the variables declared in the else horn elsewhere in the program?

You misunderstand scope and my and all that. Pray consider my explanation.

When you write:

else {
    my ($foo, %bar, $bax);
    ...
    }
[download]

Initialize_child and do_child_stuff are presumable defined elsewhere (not within those braces). When they refer to $foo, etc., they are referring to global variables, hence the warning that you get (good on you for using 'use strict').

If you want those variables to be visible to those subs but nowhere else, do something like:

{
    my ($foo, %bar, $bax);
    sub Initialize_child
    {
        # code here
    }
    sub do_child_stuff
    {
        # more code here
    }
}
[download]

yours,
Michael

    my ( $foo, %bar, $bax );

    Initialize_child($foo,\%bar,$bax);
    do_child_stuff($foo,\%bar,$bax);
[download]

    sub Init_Child {
        my %params=@_;
        #blah
    }
    Init_Child(name=>$foo,attribs=>\%bar);
[download]

But I was wondering why you dont pass them as parameters to the functions? Then scoping doesnt become a problem

because i need them in both subs, and the actual variables are ( rather large ) config hashes. they can be global to the child ( if that makes sense )....

just trying to get the most out of laziness...

Sorry but thats not a good reason. Pass them by reference, or in a hash, or even create an object that bundles them all together into a nice package.
Globals vars are evil without very very good justification. There is almost always an easier and safer way to do things.
Almost the only time I use them is for things like a $Debug variable in a package.

OTOH, its your code.... :-)

Yves
--
You are not ready to use symrefs unless you already know why they are bad. -- tadmc (CLPM)

Then why not pass them as ref's?