The code below is wrapped in an eval somewhere, but no matter how hard I try I can not get the file read portion of this to work. Why? I've tested every other portion...and it works. 
        use File::Temp qw/ tempfile /;
        my ( $fh, $filename ) = tempfile();
        my ( $eh, $errorname ) = tempfile();
        use Win32::Job;
        my $job = Win32::Job->new;
        my $exe = "remotely_executing_program_tool.exe";
        my $args =
" some_command_line_that_connects_and_runs_stuff_on_remote_machine";
        my %opts = ( 'stdout' => $fh, 'stderr' => $eh );
        #print $args;
        $job->spawn( $exe, $args, \%opts );
        $job->run(120);
        $job->kill();
        local $/ = undef;
        open F, '<', $filename;
        $text = <F>;
        close F;
        $connectOk = 0 if length($text) < 1;
        open F, '<', $errorname;
        $errStr = <F>;
        close F;
        $retval = $text;
        #print $retval;

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In reply to eval horrors by AAB

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