You want the window to stay open so you can read the output?

If that is the case something like this will do it.

#!/usr/bin/perl

use strict;
use warnings;

# do something
print "results\n";

# do something else
print "more results\n";

system('dir');

print "done. hit return\n";
<>;
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You've got to be careful with <>, because it will also process command line arguments, which can lead to unexpected errors.

C:\>perl -e "<>;" -- foo
Can't open foo: No such file or directory at -e line 1.
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If a file named 'foo' actually exists, then a line would will be read from it, and the script will disappear as if this step was never taken.

I usually use <STDIN>; or if I am reliving my old habit of batch scripting, `pause`;. The pause approach will continue after any key press, not just 'ENTER', but it does spawn a shell. Choose your poison.


TGI says moo

# open file for output
open my $file, ">${title}.xml" or die "Couldn't open file: $title.xml 
+\n\n";
select $file;

## Print lots of XML data here

# open GGobi for viewing
close $file;
system "ggobi.exe ${title}.xml";
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In addition, if I use system, my Perl scripts waits around until the new process is terminated.

Your question is very ambiguous, but my interpretation of what you are asking for is to be able to start a new command line program from within your perl script asynchronously. If that is the case, then something like this would work.

system 'start cmd /k theProgram arg1 arg2';
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