Hmm, It works, I'll give you that. I'm still confused as to why it locks up on my version though. Take a look at this code (I was experementing and benchmarking at the same time):

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

use strict;
use IO::File;
use GMS;
require "GMSConstant.pl";
use Benchmark qw(cmpthese);

my $t1 = '1';
my $t2 = '2';
my $t3 = '3';

my $GMS = new GMS;

my $sitename = $GMS->getsetting('GUILD','SITENAMET');

my($name,$email,$icq) = ('Iron','flame@berkshire.rr.com','16307443');
my @stats = (100,100,25);

my $skills = [
              {'SKILL' => 'Anatomy','VALUE' => 100},
              {'SKILL' => 'Swordsmanship','VALUE' => 100},
              {'SKILL' => 'Tactics','VALUE' => 100}
             ];

my $onotes = "This is a long test string.\n\n" x 30;

my $notes;

sub otherway{
   $notes = $onotes; #Re-Initialize variable since it was wiped out by
+ the write()
   my $fh = IO::File->new_tmpfile() or die $!;
   $fh->format_name('GMMAIL');
   #This one works regardless of which format it's attached to.

   select($fh);
   write();
   seek($fh, 0, 0); # Rewind the file
   my $str = do {local $/; <$fh>};

   select(STDOUT);
   print $str;
}

sub myway{
   $notes = $onotes; #Re-Initialize variable since it was wiped out by
+ the write()
   pipe(TESTOUT,TEST) or die($!);

   select(TEST);
   $~='GMMAIL';
   #Note THIS Line: When set to 'TEST' everything's fine...
   #however, when set to GMMAIL like this, it locks up.
   #What's the difference that causes it to work for one but
   #not the other?
   $|=1;

   write();

   close(TEST);

   select(STDOUT);

   my @temp = <TESTOUT>;
   print join('',@temp);

   close(TESTOUT);
}

   cmpthese(10000,{
            'Suggestion' => \&otherway,
            'MyTest' => \&myway}
           );


format TEST=
@||| @||| @|||
$t1,$t2,$t3
@||| @||| @|||
$t3,$t2,$t1
.

format GMMAIL=
@|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
+|||||||||
                          "$sitename - Application"

Name:   @<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< | Notes: ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
         $name,                                  $notes
E-Mail: @<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
         $email,                                 $notes
ICQ:    @<<<<<<<<<<                    | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
         $icq,                                   $notes
---------------------------------------| ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
               /------\                | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
              | Stats  |               | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
              |--------|               | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
              |@<<: @>>|               | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
$GMS::Constant::STATS[0],$stats[0],              $notes
              |@<<: @>>|               | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
$GMS::Constant::STATS[1],$stats[1],              $notes
              |@<<: @>>|               | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
$GMS::Constant::STATS[2],$stats[2],              $notes
               \------/                | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
---------------------------------------| ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
                                       | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
Skills                                 | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
------                                 | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
@<<<<<<<<<<<<<: @###.#                 | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
$skills->[0]->{'SKILL'},$skills->[0]->{'VALUE'}, $notes
@<<<<<<<<<<<<<: @###.#                 | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
$skills->[1]->{'SKILL'},$skills->[1]->{'VALUE'}, $notes
@<<<<<<<<<<<<<: @###.#                 | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
$skills->[2]->{'SKILL'},$skills->[2]->{'VALUE'}, $notes
~~                                     | ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
+<<<<<<<<<
                                                 $notes
@>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
+>>>>>>>>>
                           $GMS->getsetting('FILE','CGIBINS').'/join.c
+gi?admin'
.
[download]

The comments inside the tested subs should explain my current question well enough.

FYI: It appears that when it actually works, my way is faster by about 3%. But I suppose regardless of what's faster, I have to use what works... heh.

Thanks for the suggestion.

---

"Weird things happen, get used to it."

Flame ~ Lead Programmer: GMS