If it's used on a busy server why don't you add a sub program that waits if the file is busy by using the sleep commmand. Also, is there a reason why you don't use the "or die" option for handling an error?
open (DISFILE,"<".$datfile) or die "Can't do it";
&lock_files(DISFILE);
---PERFORM CALCULATIONS OR WHATEVER--
&Unlock(DISFILE);
close DISFILE;
sub lock_files{
my $timeout = 0;
my $SomeFile = shift;
until(flock($SomeFile,2)){
sleep .20;
if(++$timeout > 50){
print "Server Time out Message";
}#end if
}#end until
}#end sub lock files
sub Unlock{
my $SomeFile = shift;
flock($SomeFile,8);
}#end unlock
TexasTess
"Great Spirits Often Encounter Violent Opposition From Mediocre Minds" --Albert Einstein