Is error() returning a false value? That would cause the behavior you describe. Remember that <EXPR> and <EXPR> executes the second expression only if the first expression is true. To avoid this dependence on the return value of error() you could try 
unless (open FH, ">$_[0]") {
        error($!, "not able to write to file $_[0]");
        return undef;
}

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In reply to Re: calling sub and returning value from the same line by jdalbec
in thread calling sub and returning value from the same line by mellin

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