To get the signed value, do something like:

    my $ret_val = unpack c => pack C => ($? >> 8);
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Abigail

Maybe this helps:

The return value is the exit status of the program as returned by the [id://perlfunc:wait|wait()] call. To get the actual exit value divide by 256. See also exec.

See perldoc -f system

See also Perl 5.8.4 perldoc system where the new page says: "To get the actual exit value shift right by eight (see below)."

Thanks, but I exactly ment already divided value :-(

Code:

my $return_value = system("test.exe something");
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returns 0-65280, negative value is always 65280

and when divide it

$return_value = $return_value/256;
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it returns naturally 0-255

Maybe I should use some other function. Any suggestions?

As I said in another post:

    $ perl -wle 'print unpack c => pack C => 65280 >> 8'
    -1
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Abigail

Using these two test progs:

process.pl

#!perl

use strict;
use warnings;

my $exitCode = shift;

print "will exit with $exitCode\n";

exit($exitCode);
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shell.pl

#!perl

use strict;
use warnings;

sub run_proc {
    my $code = shift;

    print "now running with $code\n";
    my $status = system("process.pl $code");

    my $exit_value  = $status >> 8;
    my $signal_num  = $status & 127;
    my $dumped_core = $status & 128;

    print <<"END_OF_STATUS";
exit_value:  $exit_value
signal_num:  $signal_num
dumped_core: $dumped_core
END_OF_STATUS
}

run_proc(123);
run_proc(-1);
run_proc(255);
run_proc(-5);
run_proc(251);
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I obtain these results with ActivePerl 5.8.3.809 on Windows 2000 (binary release):

now running with 123
will exit with 123
exit_value:  123
signal_num:  0
dumped_core: 0
now running with -1
will exit with -1
Can't spawn "cmd.exe": No such file or directory at c:\Exit value\shel
+l.pl line 10.
exit_value:  255
signal_num:  0
dumped_core: 0
now running with 255
will exit with 255
exit_value:  255
signal_num:  0
dumped_core: 0
now running with -5
will exit with -5
exit_value:  251
signal_num:  0
dumped_core: 0
now running with 251
will exit with 251
exit_value:  251
signal_num:  0
dumped_core: 0
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The '-1' return code seems to have a special meaning. Sorry, I couldn't see why looking at perl's source code... You should give your perl -V results.

Anyway, I could get negative return code...

Doesn't help.. :(

I tested and noticed that when process is perl-module, it works like that way. But when process is c-module exe, negative return value is always same. Also This must work with return values between about -99999 to 999999. With perl module range was 0 to 255, both positive and negative values, so never know which original value is. Maybe I have to try solve this with win32::process..