$| = 1; if ($pid = fork) { print "this is the parent $pid\n"; while ($prange ne '$A$3') { eval {$prange = $excel->ActiveCell->{Address};}; print "$@\n" if ($@); print "Active cell address $prange\n"; sleep 3; } } elsif (defined $pid) { print "this is the child $pid\n"; $msg = "When finished editing, close the file\."; Win32::MsgBox("$msg",vbOKOnly,$mbt); #$ans = ; exit; } else { print "fell through\n"; }