Here's code adapted from the Cookbook that may do what you want: 
use IO::Handle;

pipe(READER, WRITER);
WRITER->autoflush(1);

if ($pid = fork) {
# if fork returned a PID, this must be the parent
    close READER;    # so the child can use it
    print WRITER "Your message here, call 555-8467, extension $$!";
    close WRITER;
    waitpid($pid, 0);    # let the kid die
} else {
# if $pid is empty, this must be the child
    close WRITER;    # so the parent can use it
    my $line = <READER>;
    print "What does this mean?\n\t>>$line<<\n";
    close READER;    # don't have to be explicit
    exit;
}

[download]
The close() is important because fork tends to duplicate open filehandles between the parent and child. We take advantage of some of this, though.

I don't know how well it will work passing variables instead of explicit filehandle names to the pipe call. You might have better results with: 

local *$read;
local *$write;

[download]

In reply to Re: why? by chromatic
in thread why? by iic

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