in reply to scp output without having to use "Net::SCP" in Perl

You're getting more than you need from your ls command and it is confusing things.

$: ls -ltr /tmp total 87120 -rw-r--r-- 1 root system 2206 Jul 23 2012 install_cltp +kg_trace.12255278 -rw-r--r-- 1 root system 2165 Jul 23 2012 install_java +pkg_trace.13893676 -rw-r--r-- 1 root system 2157 Jul 23 2012 install_jrep +kg_trace.13893676 -rw-r--r-- 1 root system 3981 Jul 23 2012 SYMCnbp-init +tab.12255278.i ... $: ls -1tr /tmp install_cltpkg_trace.12255278 install_javapkg_trace.13893676 install_jrepkg_trace.13893676 SYMCnbp-inittab.12255278.i SYMCnbclt-inittab.12255278.r ... $:
Dum Spiro Spero