It seems to have to do with underlying operating systems idea of paths. For me, chooseDirectory returns paths with forward slashes, but -initialdir wants them with backward slashes. Tk.pm apparently has a built-in conversion for this but its not working ? I dunno, this works for me

#!/usr/bin/perl --
use strict;
use warnings;

# test-dir
# this is to test the initialdir option for the file browser

use strict "vars";

# say to use Tk module

use Tk;
use Tk::Dialog;

my ($mw);
my ($sel_dir);
my ($add2_entry);

my ($dir_full);

# create the screen menu

# create main window

$mw = MainWindow->new;
$mw->title("initialdir test");

# button to select the directory

$mw->Button( -text => "Select Directory", -command => \&setdir_cb )
  ->grid( -row => 0, -column => 0 );

$mw->Label( -text => "Selected Directory" )->grid( -row => 1, -column 
+=> 0 );

$add2_entry = $mw->Entry( -width => 60 )->grid( -row => 1, -column => 
+1 );
$dir_full = "No directory selected";
$add2_entry->configure( -textvariable => $dir_full );

# button to use the file broswer

$mw->Button( -text => "Try File Broswer", -command => \&open_file_bros
+wer )
  ->grid( -row => 2, -column => 0 );
MainLoop;

#=====================================
#
# setdir_cb
#
# this invokes direcotry selection
#
#=====================================

sub setdir_cb() {

    my ( $err_message, $err_dialog );

    print "[setdir_cb] entry\n";

    use File::Spec;
    $dir_full = File::Spec->canonpath( $mw->chooseDirectory() );

    print "\n\n[setdir_cb] choosen directory <$dir_full>\n";

    if ( length($dir_full) == 0 ) {

        $mw->DialogBox(
            -title          => 'No Directory Selected',
            -buttons        => ['Ok'],
            -default_button => 'Ok'
        )->Show();

    }
    else {

        $add2_entry->configure( -textvariable => $dir_full );

        $mw->update;

    }
}

#=====================================
#
# open_file_broswer
#
# this opens the file broswer
#
#=====================================

sub open_file_broswer() {

    my ( $file_selected, $title_str, $answer, $data_file_file_types,
        $data_file_title_str, $file_str );

    $dir_full = $add2_entry->cget( -textvariable );

    if ( -d $dir_full ) {

        $data_file_title_str = 'Test directory';

        $file_str = 'Data File';

        $data_file_file_types = [ [ $file_str, '.txt' ], [ 'All files'
+, '*' ] ];

        warn "-initialdir => $dir_full,";
        $file_selected = $mw->getOpenFile(
            -initialdir => $dir_full,
            -filetypes  => $data_file_file_types,
            -title      => $data_file_title_str
        );

    }
    else {

        $title_str = "Directory <" . $dir_full . '> not found';
        $answer    = $mw->Dialog(
            -title          => "Directory Not Found",
            -text           => $title_str,
            -default_button => 'OK',
            -buttons        => ['OK'],
            -bitmap         => 'error'
        )->Show();

    }
}
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