[solved] how do I run an external command

[scsijon]

I am VERY new to perl ( a few days only) although I can work through most programs across languages nowadays given time and decent referance url's.

I need to run something like this:

 $package_category = (./support/find_cat $package_name $package_description)

I can run the shell equivalent in a Terminal Console and have it OK, But I can't seem to work out how to do it from withing the perl program.

the format I am trying to match is:

    
$output_variable = relative_file_path/external_command_filename_to_run
+ $input_variable1 $input_variable2
$output_variable is what I get back; and
$input_variable1 and 2 are what the perl script feeds in.

And it will run as part of a loop with different input_variable entries each time, hopefully giving the correct output variable back.

I have already had a look through the similar varying messages across some of your pages, but they don't seem to match what I am attempting and I am hoping someone can either help directly with just code or (better) both code and a breakdown on what is what so I can understand it as well as use it.

Thanks in advance and anticipation of an easy fix.