Try to boil the problem down to the simplest set of code possible that still illustrates the problem. Sometimes that process itself results in some enlightenment. If it doesn't, post the code here and we'll look at it. Without seeing the code, it would just be guessing on my part.

Thanks again Marshall - the piece of the code is included below. In the meantime I am trying to figure this out as well...

sub copy_project {

    # first check for null for Project Name
    # bail out if Project Name is null

    if ( !defined $open_source_project_file ) {
        print "Select Source Project file (.cpm)\n";
        exit();
    }

    # check to ensure that project location
    # is selected by user

    if ( !defined $destination_project_loc ) {
        print "Destination project location not specified!\n";
        exit();
    }

    # check to ensure that destination project
    # folder is specified by user

    if ( !defined $destination_proj_folder ) {
        print "Destination Project Folder not specified!\n";
        exit();
    }
    else {

        # check for spaces in project name
        &check_destination_folder_for_spaces;

        # check to ensure underscore in project name
        &check_destination_for_underscores;

    }

    # check to ensure that directory by the
    # name of Project Name does not already
    # exist at Project Location

# Following three cases to be considered:
# 1. Directory exists but is empty
# 2. Directory exists, and not empty, bail out, and ask user for new p
+roject name
# 3. Directory does not exist

    if ( -d $destination_project_loc . "/" . $destination_proj_folder 
+) {

        # check to ensure this dir. is empty

        opendir( DIRH,
            $destination_project_loc . "/" . $destination_proj_folder 
+);
        my @dest_proj_folder_files =
          grep { $_ ne '.' and $_ ne '..' } readdir(DIRH);
        closedir(DIRH);

        if (@dest_proj_folder_files) {

            my $project_dir_exists_error = $mw->messageBox(
                -title   => "Error in Project Name",
                -message => 'Project Name directory exists, and is non
+ empty!',
                -type    => 'RetryCancel',
                -icon    => 'error',
            );

            if ( $project_dir_exists_error eq "Retry" ) {
                &initialize_all_variables;
            }
            else {
                exit();
            }

        }
        else {

            # Project Name directory exists but is empty

            my $final_copy_project_command = &create_copy_project_comm
+and;

            # get rid of top_frame
            $top_frame->packForget();

            # create and display text widget
            my $tw = $second_frame->Text()->pack();

            my $first_line = "Copying project...please wait";
            $tw->insert( 'end', $first_line );

            my @read_copy_project_command_output =
              `$final_copy_project_command`;

            foreach my $output_line (@read_copy_project_command_output
+) {
                $tw->insert( 'end', $output_line );
            }

        }

    }
    else {

        # Project Name directory does not exist

        # get rid of top_frame
        $top_frame->packForget();

        # create and display text widget
        #my $tw = $second_frame->Text()->pack();

        my $tw = $second_frame->Scrolled("Text")->pack();

        my $first_line = "Copying project...please wait\n";
        $tw->insert( 'end', $first_line );

        my $final_copy_project_command = &create_copy_project_command;

        #open(COPY_PROJ, "$final_copy_project_command|");

        open( COPY_PROJ, '-|', "$final_copy_project_command" );

        my $copy_proj_line;

        while ( defined( $copy_proj_line = <COPY_PROJ> ) ) {
            $tw->insert( 'end', $copy_proj_line );
            $tw->update();
            $tw->see('end');
        }

    }

}

# This sub is called by copy_project

sub create_copy_project_command {

    # prepare copy_project_command

    # location of destination project depends on
    # whether same name project dir exists or not

    my $location_destination_proj;

    if ( -d $destination_project_loc . "/" . $destination_proj_folder 
+) {
        $location_destination_proj = $destination_project_loc;
    }
    elsif ( !-d $destination_project_loc . "/" . $destination_proj_fol
+der ) {
        $location_destination_proj =
          $destination_project_loc . "/" . $destination_proj_folder;
    }

    # new project name is derived from what
    # the user types in Project Name text box

    my $new_project_name = $destination_proj_folder;

    my $new_project_file_name = $new_project_name . "\.cpm";

    my $new_design_library_name = $new_project_name . "_lib";

    # Design name is same as project name

    my $new_design_name = $new_project_name;

    my $license = "Concept_HDL_expert";

    my $copy_project_command =
        "copyproject -proj " . "\""
      . $open_source_project_file . "\""
      . " \-copytopath " . "\""
      . $location_destination_proj . "\""
      . " \-newprojname " . "\""
      . $new_project_file_name . "\""
      . " \-newlib " . "\""
      . $new_design_library_name . "\""
      . " \-newdesign " . "\""
      . $new_design_name . "\""
      . " \-product " . "\""
      . $license . "\"";

    return $copy_project_command;

}
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