Well, you can use fork() on Linux that will work very well, and for Win32 is just a new thread (fake fork), since the OS Win32 doesn't have the system fork.

Here is some sample of how to do that: 

#!/usr/bin/perl

## Init the detached codes:
sub DETACH_INIT {
  my ( $x ) = @_ ;
  $| = 1 ;  ## Flush STDOUT or will lock some threads on Win32.
  $SIG{CHLD} = \&REAPER ; ## Who will lead with childs on real fork.

  ## Run $x times the detached codes:
  my $wpid = 0 ;
  for my $i (1..$x) {
    next if $wpid ; ## Next until the wait() is on.
    &SPAWN($i) ;
  }

  ## Wait for the childs.
  sub REAPER{
    $wpid = wait ;
    $SIG{CHLD} = \&REAPER ;
  }

  ## Make the fork, start the detached code, than continue main code.
  ## When the detached code return, make an exit of the forked process
+ or thread.
  sub SPAWN {
    my ( $id ) = @_ ;
    my $pid ; 
    if (!defined($pid = fork)) { print "cannot fork: $!\n" ; return ;}
    elsif ($pid) { return ;}
    exit &DETACHED_CODE($id) ;
  }
}

## Code to be runned detached:
sub DETACHED_CODE {
  my ( $id ) = @_ ;
  
  for(0..10) {
    print "$id>> $_\n" ;  
    sleep(1);
  }
}

  ## Tell to start 2 detached codes:
  &DETACH_INIT(2) ;

  ## Some main code to continue:
  for(0..10) {
    print "main>> $_\n" ;
    sleep(1);
  }

[download]
But note that is very recomended to use threads directly, and make your program based on thread architecture. But you will need to work on Perl-5.8.0, where thread works fine. With threads you have more resources, specially the shared variables!

Note, use Perl-5.6.1++ for fork(), specially on Win32.

Update (execution of other process):
To execute other scripts from Perl, use open: 

my $cmd = "$^X foo.pl arg1" ; ## $^X is the path to perl(.exe) interpr
+eter.
open (CMDLOG,"| $cmd") ; close (CMDLOG) ;

[download]
If you skip the close you don't wait the process to return: 
open (CMDLOG,"| $cmd") ;
## Now you can continue your main (caller) script...

[download]

Or just use the Open3 from IPC to get the retuned data to the pipe: 

use IPC::Open3 ;
my $cmd = "$^X foo.pl arg1" ;
open3(LOGREAD , LOGERROR, LOGWRITE, "$cmd");
my @log = (<LOGREAD> , <LOGERROR>) ;
close(LOGREAD , LOGERROR, LOGWRITE) ;
print "@log\n" ;

[download]
This 2 ways are very portable, at least between Win32 and Linux. The first (open) is more.

Other thing, try to use different HANDLES (like CMDLOG) for multi calls when you don't use the close(). For example: 

open (CMDLOG1,"| $cmd1") ;
open (CMDLOG2,"| $cmd2") ;
open (CMDLOG3,"| $cmd3") ;

[download]

Graciliano M. P.
"The creativity is the expression of the liberty".

In reply to Re: spawning Perl scripts (Win32/Linux sample) by gmpassos
in thread spawning Perl scripts by awkmonk

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