syslog logging

[snafu]

I can't use Sys::Syslog yet. I can't use syslog.pl (same problem as Sys::Syslog (missing subroutine called &DEBUG_LOG)) which I am pretty sure that if I wanted to fix this I'd have to upgrade Perl. Since I am not the admin of this box and since I had to pull teeth just to get Perl on this machine *and* since the admin refuses to put anything on the box that is not from Sun I am forced to make do. All is well, at least I have Perl on the box.
So, I am resorting to using /usr/bin/logger (solaris 7 box). Therefore, here is what I am doing so far but it is not working.

The Perl version I am using currently:

This is perl, version 5.004_02

sub logit($$$) {
    my ($type, $severity, $msg) = @_ ;
    my $facility = "local0.info";

    if ( !defined($type) or !defined($severity) or !defined($msg) ) {
    $type     ||= "undefined";
    $severity ||= "undefined";
    $msg      ||= "undefined";

    print STDERR " In order to use the logit subroutine the caller mus
+t provide\n";
    print STDERR " three arguments: type, severity, and the message!!!
+\n";
    print "(type: $type | severity: $severity | msg: $msg)\n\n";
    print LOG &timestamp . ": Exited!  Error in $plProgName - caller d
+id not properly\n";
    print LOG &timestamp . ": call subroutine \&logit!\n";
    print LOG &timestamp . ": (type: $type | severity: $severity | msg
+: $msg)\n";
    exit(1);
    }

_{open(SYSLOG,"| /usr/bin/logger -p $facility -t $plProgName $REVISION");
print "/usr/bin/logger -p $facility -t $plProgName $REVISION\n"; # debug line only}

    for ( split(/:/,$type) ) {
    switch: {
        /syslog/ && do {
# Print only to syslog here
    print "(type: $type | severity: $severity | msg: $msg)\n\n";
        print SYSLOG "$severity - $msg";
        last switch;
        };

        /stdout/ && do {
# Print only to stdout here
        print("$severity - $msg\n");
        last switch;
        };
        
        /stderr/ && do {
# Print only to stderr here
        print STDERR "$severity - $msg\n";
        last switch;
        };

        /log/ && do {
# Print to the log file here
        print LOG &timestamp . ": $severity - $msg\n";
        last switch;
        };

        /all/ && do {
# Print to everything here (except stderr)
        for ( *STDOUT, *LOG, *SYSLOG ) {
            print $_ &timestamp . ": $severity - $msg ($_)\n";
        }
        last switch;
        };

        /allerr/ && do {
# Print to everything here (except stdout)
        for ( *STDERR, *LOG, *SYSLOG ) {
            print $_ &timestamp . ": $severity - $msg ($_)\n";
        }
        last switch;
        };

# This next line is simply for completeness.  It will most likely
# never get used because of the check in the beginning of this
# sub.
        DEFAULT: {
        print LOG &timestamp . ": $severity - $msg\n";
        print STDOUT "$severity - $msg\n" if ( $DEBUG == "1" );
# Print only to the log here
        };
    }
    }

    close(SYSLOG);
}

The script doesn't break but the logging to the syslog facility does not work. I know it is because of the pipe but I can't think of a better way to do it. I have always been taught that I have to pipe the command in an open but is that really necessary? The output in the syslog file is:

Apr 16 15:19:24 hopper progname.pl: : 1.1 $
Apr 16 15:21:14 hopper progname.pl: : 1.1 $
Apr 16 15:21:14 hopper progname.pl: : 1.1 $
Apr 16 15:25:34 hopper progname.pl: : 1.1 $
Apr 16 15:42:31 hopper progname.pl: : 1.1 $
Apr 16 15:46:14 hopper progname.pl: : 1.1 $
Apr 16 15:49:20 hopper progname.pl: : 1.1 $

TIA! PS - I wrote this sub routine and I am pretty happy with it. If others could give me comments on it I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

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- Jim