You could reverse the logic of your sub: 

if ($file) {
    open LOGFILE, ">>$file" or die "Error message: $!\n";
} else {
    open LOGFILE, ">&STDERR" or die "Another error\n";
}
print LOGFILE "blah blah";
close LOGFILE or die "Yet another error\n";

[download]

-- TMTOWTDI

In reply to Re: Cleaner redirection of STDERR by trantor
in thread Cleaner redirection of STDERR by rob_au

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