What do you mean by "don't want to use a hash"? Are you referring to the fact that the dir() method in Net::FTP::Common returns a hash? If so, couldn't you just ignore all the extra info it gives you? There is also a ls() method that returns an array.

my $ez = Net::FTP::Common->new(\%common_cfg, %netftp_config); 
ez->login or die "cant login: $@";
my %retval = $ez->dir;
my @names_only = keys %retval;
my @files_only = grep( $retval{$_}->{perm} !~ /^d/, keys %retval );
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