Hej Monks, I think i have caused too much confusion. I will rephrase the question.
First of all the environment: Linux(tcsh shell) and perl version 5.8.3. Problem: I want to do something like this
system("long command to be executed on the tcsh in the background &").
If i run this long command from the prompt it doesnt give me any error. But If i run it using system and exec inside perl script (with or without fork), command is executed succesfully, prompt is returned but i get an error message on the prompt. Scenarios that i have tried to perform as suggested by you all
=>using system function - <code<system("command &") && die(" From Sys func: $!"); </code> Executes my command and Returns the prompt but it gives an error after returning the prompt "write to host (-1) failed in SendMessageToHost" Note that i dont get illegal seek this time and the error mesg is not coming from die
=> using fork as suggested by cowboy with exec for executing the command on the shell exec(" command &") && die("From Exec function: $!"); Prompt returns, gets the similar error "write to host (-1) failed in SendMessageToHost"
=> using sys command inside fork or otherwise but having die as an OR condition system("command &") || die("From sys function: $!"); This time i get "From sys function: Illegal seek" error and then the prompt returns and gives the error "write to host (-1) failed in SendMessageToHost"
Most of you have pointed out that the error may be coming from the command. Command works fine for me when i run it on the prompt. And i get these errors only from within perl script. Thanx

In reply to Run the process in the background by perl@newbie

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