die will print to your STDERR, not STDOUT, so you need to be checking that in your CGI file. You could use a quick fix such as:

my $scale = `/www/2cgi-bin/res2.pl $file 2>&1`
[download]

(hopefully I got that syntax correct, I don't have access to my trusty unix boxes right now).

However there are probably better ways than what I can remember off the top of my head.

Sorry, but good luck,
Gryn

Updated: Fixed typo as suggested by nardo (thanks :) ).