my $result;
  my $named_pipe_name = '/path/to/pipe';
  my $timeout = 5;
  
  #check to see if named pipe exists
  if (-p $named_pipe_name) {

	#fork in such a manner as to enable us to get out what the child 
	# reads from the NP
    if (my $childpid = open(FROMCHILD, "-|")) {
      #parent
      
      #set up the a SIGCHLD handler that will read what the child has
      # written
      local $SIG{CHLD} = sub { $result .= <FROMCHILD>; };
      
      #wait for our timeout
      sleep ($timeout);
      
      #kill the child (if it still exists)
      kill 'HUP', $childpid;
      
    } else {
      #child
      
      #Open for reading only. note using sysopen without create flag 
      # to prevent creation of the named pipe as a normal file
      if (sysopen(FIFO, $named_pipe_name, O_RDONLY)) {
        my $return_string;
        
        #read from the name pipe till EOF
        while(my $this_line = <FIFO>) {
          chomp($this_line);
          $return_string .= $this_line;
        }
        close(FIFO);
        
        #tell the parent what we read
        print STDOUT $return_string;
      } else {
        print STDOUT "ERROR: Reading $named_pipe_name: $!";
      }
      #exit causes the SIGCHLD to be sent.
      exit; 
    }
  }
  print STDOUT $result;