No luck with this, ubless I messed up the way I added it: 
 my $run_pid = open(RUN, "sub_script.pl $options 2>&1 |") or $sub_fai
+led = 1;
  
  if (!$sub_failed) {
    $text .= "Entered if (!\$sub_failed) {\n";
    while (<RUN>) { 
      $text .= "Entered while (<RUN>)\n";
      chomp;
      $_ =~ s/^\s*//;  
      $text .= "$_\n";
    }
    close(RUN);
    if ($? != 0) { $sub_failed = 1; $text = "Open error: $!\n";} 
  }
  else { $text .= "Failed to open sub_script.pl\n";}

  print "$text";

[download]
$! returned empty. I could well be using it incorrectly though.

In reply to Re^3: Perl open pipe exiting early by albob
in thread Perl open pipe exiting early by albob

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