No...I simply don't understand how to invoke the shell to use this function. I understand the issue comes from the same source, but all my attempts at implementing similar measures to fix my problem failed. I also have looked at different sources of information to gain knowledge about the umask command. Before you accuse someone of 'blindly' taking a solution, make sure the person isn't just new to linux and perl. I am still learning the ropes of both linux and perl, and it becomes hard to learn when everyone expects you to understand exactly what is happening when you are already trying to understand simpler aspects of the problem.