Don't use backticks like `BADSYMS.out` - instead use normal single or double quotes: 

if (-z "BADSYMS.out") {
  # do something
}

[download]
The backticks try to execute the file which is not what you want.

-- Hofmator

In reply to Re3: -z file test operator by Hofmator
in thread -z file test operator by Anonymous Monk

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