I think something more like this instead of system():

qx(abiword -to html $file);

My abiword docs (abiword --help, v. 1.0.4) tell me that -to is the modifier for getting conversion output from the command line.

Update: I found this link... http://www.crazy-wormhole.com/AlinaMeridon/AbiWord/abidocs/howto/howtoexporthtml.html (This post was supposed to be a reply to another node, but I messed up.)

--
Allolex

In reply to Re: Perl invoking abiword by allolex
in thread Perl invoking abiword by Anonymous Monk

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