I think you mean something like this: 
#!/opt/perl/bin/perl -w

use strict;


my %kids;
foreach my $letter ('x' .. 'z') {
    print localtime () . ": Forking kids for $letter\n";
    foreach my $number (1 .. 5) {
        my $code = "$letter$number";
        my $pid  = fork;

        die "Failed to fork $code" unless defined $pid;

        $kids {$pid} = [$code, time] if $pid;

        unless ($pid) {
            # In child.
            my $sleep = 2 + int rand 18;
            print localtime () . 
               ": Kid $code sleeping for $sleep seconds.\n";
            sleep $sleep;
            exit;
        }
    }

    while ((my $kid = wait) != -1) {
        print localtime () . ": Reaped kid $kids{$kid}->[0] after ",
              time () - $kids {$kid} -> [1], " seconds.\n";
    }

    print localtime () . ": Done reaping kids for $letter\n";
    sleep 1;
}

__END__

[download]
Running this produces: 
Tue Jun 26 19:40:41 2001: Forking kids for x
Tue Jun 26 19:40:42 2001: Kid x5 sleeping for 7 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:42 2001: Kid x2 sleeping for 9 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:42 2001: Kid x1 sleeping for 10 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:42 2001: Kid x3 sleeping for 11 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:42 2001: Kid x4 sleeping for 15 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:49 2001: Reaped kid x5 after 7 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:51 2001: Reaped kid x2 after 9 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:52 2001: Reaped kid x1 after 10 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:53 2001: Reaped kid x3 after 11 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:57 2001: Reaped kid x4 after 15 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:57 2001: Done reaping kids for x
Tue Jun 26 19:40:58 2001: Forking kids for y
Tue Jun 26 19:40:58 2001: Kid y4 sleeping for 4 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:58 2001: Kid y3 sleeping for 4 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:58 2001: Kid y5 sleeping for 7 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:58 2001: Kid y2 sleeping for 8 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:40:58 2001: Kid y1 sleeping for 10 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:02 2001: Reaped kid y4 after 4 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:02 2001: Reaped kid y3 after 4 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:05 2001: Reaped kid y5 after 7 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:06 2001: Reaped kid y2 after 8 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:08 2001: Reaped kid y1 after 10 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:08 2001: Done reaping kids for y
Tue Jun 26 19:41:09 2001: Forking kids for z
Tue Jun 26 19:41:09 2001: Kid z5 sleeping for 2 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:09 2001: Kid z2 sleeping for 5 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:09 2001: Kid z4 sleeping for 6 seconds.   
Tue Jun 26 19:41:09 2001: Kid z1 sleeping for 11 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:09 2001: Kid z3 sleeping for 12 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:11 2001: Reaped kid z5 after 2 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:14 2001: Reaped kid z2 after 5 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:15 2001: Reaped kid z4 after 6 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:20 2001: Reaped kid z1 after 11 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:21 2001: Reaped kid z3 after 12 seconds.
Tue Jun 26 19:41:21 2001: Done reaping kids for z

-- Abigail

In reply to Re: Fork novice requests help...Part Deux by Abigail
in thread Fork novice requests help...Part Deux by thor

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