If all you want to do is run batch files, something like this should work. <opinion>Though, I think a better approach would be to replace the batch commands with perl.</opinion>
use strict;
use warnings;
my $batchfile = qq|batchfile.bat|;
my $status = ( system("batchfile.bat") == 0 ) ? 0 : 1;
print "$batchfile status = $status\n";
update
Fixed typos
Ted
--
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson