OK, some other ideas:

Set up some shared memory. Most of the CPAN stuff is SYSV based, but perhaps use Cache::Cache.

Thanks for the tip perigeeV I think I found my solution, albeit not as elegant as I had hoped.

I couldn't use the shared memory function because IPC::ShareLite won't compile on Win32 and is required. But Cache::Cache will still compile with it.

So my solution is to use Cache::FileCache. I've include two quick proof of concept scripts to demonstrate:

First run the 'writer':

# Program 1
use Cache::FileCache;

my $cache = new Cache::FileCache({ 'namespace' => 'SharedCache', 'defa
+ult_expires_in' => 600 } );

my $passed_data = "This is a passed string";

$cache->set( "Data", $passed_data, "10 minutes" );
[download]

Then run the 'reader':

#Program 2
use Cache::FileCache;

my $cache = new Cache::FileCache( { 'namespace' => 'SharedCache', 'def
+ault_expires_in' => 600 } );

my $passed_data = $cache->get("Data");

print "$passed_data\n";
[download]

Looks like a winner, and only after about 18hrs of banging my head against the pile of soda cans on my desk!

-Nitrox