#!perl
$program = "c:\\progdir\\bin\\proggie.exe";
$dstfile = "d:\\scripts\\log\\archive\\proggie.log";
$arg0 = "\"Blah.Blech.>\"";
$timeout = 60;
$starttime = time;

open( PRG, "$program $arg0 |") || die "Couldn't open PRG: $!\n";

open (LF, ">$finaldest");

while (<PRG>) {
        print LF "$_";
        $difftime = time - $starttime;
        last if ($difftime > $timeout);
}

close (LF);
close (RVRD);
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#!perl 
$program = "c:\\progdir\\bin\\proggie.exe"; 
$dstfile = "d:\\scripts\\log\\archive\\proggie.log"; 
$arg0 = "\"Blah.Blech.>\""; 
$timeout = 60; 
$starttime = time; 
open( PRG, "$program $arg0 |") || die "Couldn't open PRG: $!\n";
open (LF, ">$finaldest"); 
while (<PRG>) 
{ 
  print LF "$_"; 
  $difftime = time - $starttime; 
  last if ($difftime > $timeout); 
} 
close (LF); 
close (PRG);
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#!perl 
use strict; # ALWAYS! (Why? Helps catch typos before run time... among
+ other things)
$|=1; # This disables buffering. JCWren's Suggestion.
my $program = 'c:\progdir\bin\proggie.exe'; 
my $dstfile = 'd:\scripts\log\archive\proggie.log'; 
my $arg0 = '"Blah.Blech.>"'; 
my $timeout = 60; 
open( PRG, "$program $arg0 |") or die "Couldn't open '$program $arg0',
+ $!";
open(LF, ">$finaldest") or die $!; 
my $inloop = 0;
my $endtime = time + $timeout; # Only do the math once.
while( <PRG> and $endtime >= time  ) # '>=' or '>', your choice.
{ 
  if( not $inloop )
  {
    # This will get run the first time, but not after.
    # As per JCWren's Suggestion.
    print STDERR "Inside Loop\n";
    $inloop = 1;
  }
  chomp;
  print LF $_, "\n"; 
} 
close(LF) or die $!; 
close(PRG) or die $!;
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C:\>perl -we "$i=0;$stop=time +2;while(1){print $i++, qq!\n!; last if 
+time > $stop}"
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A couple of basic debugging tests need to be applied here:
1. Have you proven that you're getting to the 2nd open statement?
2. Have you proven you're actually spending time in the loop?

It seems to me that it the program 'proggie.exe' never exits, then if open() uses a system() call internally, and not a fork(), it's waiting for the program to finish before the output will be passed back to the calling process (i.e. your script).

In a *nix land, this might work, I don't know for sure. But in a Windows environment, I think you're going to have problems.

I would recommend turning off buffering ($| = 1) and putting some judicious print statements to make sure you're getting as far as you think you are.

--Chris

e-mail jcwren

use Win32::Process;

$program = "c:\\perl\\scripts\\tail.exe";
$arg0 = " > c:\\perl\scripts\\logfile.txt > c:\\perl\\scripts\\new_log
+file.txt";

Win32::Process::Create($ProcessObj, "$program", "$arg0", 0, NORMAL_PRI
+ORITY_CLASS, ".")|| die ErrorReport();

until ($endit < time) {
    next;
}

$pid = $ProcessObj->GetProcessID();
Win32::Process::KillProcess($pid, $exitcode);
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$SIG{ALRM} = \&Done;
alarm $timeout;             # Set your timeout here, in secs

while (<INPUT>) {
   print OUTPUT $_;         # Do whatever
}

alarm 0;                    # So as not to trip ALRM after we're done 
+with INPUT
close(OUTPUT);              # Likewise, in case we got an EOF in INPUT
+ before $timeout
close(INPUT);

sub Done {
   close(OUTPUT);           # Do your cleanup and optionally exit
   close(INPUT);
   exit 0;
}
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