How to store value of system command in variable in linux ?

[Pawan Kumar]

Hi All,

I have been using the Perl in window environment, but now i started using perl scripts in Linux flavor. I am new to Linux + perl combination.
I am trying to get the value of any system command executed in a variable, something like

1. my $DIR = system(pwd);
2. print "Current Dir: $DIR \n";

Here i don't get any output in line 2, where as line prints the current working directory.
I face the same problem when try to execute other commands using system(<command>). Please tell me the solution for this.

Your Help is highly appreciated,
Pawan Kumar

[rovf]

system does not return the output of the system command.

If you want to collect the standard output (not the standard error), you usually use the backticks operator:

my $dir=qx(pwd);

or, if you prefer, the equivalent

my $dir=`pwd`;

(Of course, for getting the working directory, you could easier do it without shelling out - see the module Cwd).

Note that backticks interpolate variables like double-quoted strings do!

[Pawan Kumar]

Thanks rovf,

both the methods you mentioned, worked for me successfully.

Thanks,
Pawan