system($path_to_my_executable);

my $exit_value = $? >> 8;
my $signal_num = $? & 127;
my $dumped_core = $? & 128;

# check for segfaults
if ($signal_num == 11)
{
    if (!$dumped_core)
    {
        printf("ERROR: executable exited with segmentation fault.\n");
        exit(-1);
    }
    
    else
    {
        printf("ERROR: executable exited with segmentation fault (core dumped).\n");
    }
}

elsif ($signal_num != 0)
{
    printf("ERROR: executable exited abnormally with signal $signal_num\n");
    exit(-1);
}

elsif ($exit_value == 255)
{
    printf("ERROR: executable exited abnormally with value -1, exiting...\n");
    exit(-1);
}