You don't. readdir (and glob) return the entries in the order the OS kernel pleases to present them. You have to sort yourself: 
@files = sort {-M $a <=> -M $b} <*>;

# update - better without -M in sort
opendir(D,$dir);
@files = map { $_->[1] } sort { $a->[0] <=> $b->[0] }
         map { [-M $_, $_] } grep {!/^\.\.?$/} readdir(D);

[download]

A related thread is here.

--shmem

update: added ST after reading TedPride's post ;-) 

_($_=" "x(1<<5)."?\n".q·/)Oo.  G°\        /
                              /\_¯/(q    /
----------------------------  \__(m.====·.(_("always off the crowd"))."·
");sub _{s./.($e="'Itrs `mnsgdq Gdbj O`qkdq")=~y/"-y/#-z/;$e.e && print}

In reply to Re: read directory by shmem
in thread read directory by Zcity

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