zip:

Stricken as part of the update (below) because this is just plain wrong: Despite the title (and what I construe to be needless use of Data::FormValidator) /me thinks your problem is the attempt at comparison in your first sub.

Here's my stab at what I think (lacking code that does actually compile) you intend:

#!/usr/bin/perl
# 871571

use strict;
use warnings;

my $num1 = 4;
my $num2 = 4;

my ($return1, $return2) = compare_num1_LT_num2($num1, $num2);

print "\tBACK IN MAIN:  \n";

{
no warnings ("uninitialized");
if ($return1 eq 'NoWay') {
    print "\t $num1 is GT or EQUAL to $num2\n";
} else {
    print "\$return1: $return1 and \$return2: $return2\n\n";
}
}

print "Done\n\n";


sub compare_num1_LT_num2 {
      my ($first, $second) = @_;
    print "In sub compare... $first, $second\n";
    if ( $first >= $second ) {
        return ('NoWay');
    } else {
        return ( $first, $second );
    }
}
[download]

which returns

In sub compare... 4, 4
        BACK IN MAIN:
         4 is GT or EQUAL to 4
Done
[download]

Change $num1 to 3, and this is the output:

In sub compare... 3, 4
        BACK IN MAIN:
$return1: 3 and $return2: 4

Done
[download]

Lottsa' un-needed code and detail here... but that's the way my mind works (when it works).

Update (1712 EST): Based on exchange of msgs and a much needed bit of education (FROM thezip to /me), the compare...() returns 1 or 0, T or F, which is then supposed to be parsed by Data::FormValidator... meaning that portion of my reply (above) is probably most valuable as an object lesson to those ( points to self) who would mis-interpret a bit of legit syntax. Apologies.