Win32 doesn't have a native exec() so Perl's exec does the equivalent of system(1,@_);exit(0);.

So, yes, the subprocess does exit when it does an exec.

Update: I originally forgot to write a non-blocking system (an initial "1," prevents the parent from waiting for the system subprocess to finish on several versions of Perl).

So you can work around the problem you are having by creating a module that replaces exec with something that does:

sub exec {
    exit( system(@_) );
}
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Update2: And here is such a module:

package Exec;

sub import {
    *CORE::GLOBAL::exec= \&exec;
}

sub exec {
    system( @_ );
    exit( 0 );
}

1;
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Just put that in Exec.pm and add -MExec to your perl command line (or do SET PERL5OPT=-MExec) and your problem will go away.

        - tye (but my friends call me "Tye")