my @files=$ftp->dir or print FD1 "error in dir list..."
...
foreach(@files) {
   ...
   $_=substr($_,41);
   ...
}

##</code><code>##

my @files = $ftp->dir or die "ack -- can't get ftp->dir";

for ( @files )
{
   my ($mode, $nlnk, $grp, $sz, $mo, $dy, $yrtm, $fname) = split( /\s+/, $_, 8 );
   ...
}