Did someone say "trap"? Test::Trap to the rescue! :)

The error message you want is printed on STDOUT on my machine. I was expecting STDERR. Other errors may come from the Perl code, so we want the $@ as well. My very own Test::Trap can give you all! :)

The example below, based on your code, makes use of the :output(systemsafe) pseudo layer, new in version 0.1.0. Older versions of Test::Trap may use :flow:stderr(systemsafe):stdout(systemsafe) to much the same effect.

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

use Test::Trap qw/ :output(systemsafe) /;

use MIME::Lite;         # send mail attachments
use Sys::Hostname;      # Used to insert hostname in emails
use Cwd;                # Get current full dir for error msgs
use strict;             # Enforce declarations

    my (

        $hostname,          # name of this box for sending
        $prog_full_name,    # prog path + name
        $contact_email,     # contact email address
        $msg,               # msg object
        $sender,            # sender of email 
        $subject,           # subject line in email
        $body_text          # actual email msg text
        );

    
    # Get hostname anyway we can using Sys::Hostname;
    # tries syscall(SYS_gethostname), `hostname`, `uname -n`
    $hostname = Sys::Hostname::hostname();

    # Get program full path name
    $prog_full_name = cwd()."/${0}";

    # Set the fields required by Mailer...
    $contact_email = '';
    $sender = "$prog_full_name";
    $subject = "$prog_full_name: Asset Mgr Report";
    $body_text = "This is an automated message:\n\n";

    # ... and send it
    # Header
    $msg = MIME::Lite->new(
                            From    => $sender,
                            To      => $contact_email,
                            Subject => $subject,
                            Type    =>'multipart/mixed'
                            );
    # Body Content
    $msg->attach(
                Type     => 'TEXT',
                Data     => $body_text
                );
    # Attachment
    $msg->attach(
                Type     => 'text/plain',
                Path     => "/home/chrism/t.cvs",
                Filename => "t.csv",
                Disposition => 'attachment'
                );
    # Send
    trap { $msg->send or print "Error: $@\n" };
    $_ and print "Error: $_\n" for $trap->die, $trap->stdout, $trap->s
+tderr;
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