I have been reading all the nodes re: getting output and am more confused now. All I want to do is store the output while the command is running so I can have a running progress stored in a variable. I will then use this to create a perl/tk progress bar rather than have a dos window. the program oggenc.exe. oggenc produces its output status to STDERR while it's running. I will also need to minimise the dos box or get rid of it somehow.
maybe it isn't possible what I'm trying to do but I will continue resarching.