Does the system() function return a value (outside of the expected output to stdout)?
The system function does not return expected output to stdout, but the exit status of the command.

If you want to retrieve the external command expected output, you would have to use the backticks, for example: 

my $output = `$system_command`;

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or the qx operator.

In reply to Re: does system() return a pid? by Laurent_R
in thread does system() return a pid? by sciguy

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