I'm comparing 2 file date time stamps to decide if 1st file is newer than the file in the staging areas. The copy works correctly if I comment out the stat 9 test.

sub cftsain { 

  my ($xxfn1, $xxfn2) = @_;
my @dd = ();
$dd[7] = 0;
$dd[8] = 0;
if ( defined (( stat "$xxfn1" )[9]) ) {
  $dd[7] = (( stat "$xxfn1" )[9]);
}
if ( defined (( stat "$xxfn2" )[9]) ) {
  $dd[8] = (( stat "$xxfn2" )[9]);
}
  # Copy the image file if not there or changed.
$dd[0] = 0;
  if (!-e $xxfn2) {
    copy "$xxfn1", "$xxfn2";
  } else {
      # Database image is newer than staging space image.
      if ( (( stat "$xxfn1" )[9]) > (( stat "$xxfn2" )[9]) ) { 
      #if ( -M "$xxfn1" > -M "$xxfn2" ) {       
        copy "$xxfn1", "$xxfn2";
$dd[0] = 1;     
      }

    }

$dd[1] = $xxfn1;
$dd[2] = $xxfn2;
$dd[3] = (( stat "$xxfn1" )[9]);
$dd[4] = (( stat "$xxfn2" )[9]);

my($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$mon,$year,$wday,$yday,$isdst) = localtime($d
+d[3]);
$year = $year+1900;
$mon = $mon+1;
$dd[5] = $sec.' '.$min.' '.$hour.' '.$mday.' '.$mon.' '.$year.' '.$wda
+y.' '.$yday;

($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$mon,$year,$wday,$yday,$isdst) = localtime($dd[
+4]);
$year = $year+1900;
$mon = $mon+1;
$dd[6] = $sec.' '.$min.' '.$hour.' '.$mday.' '.$mon.' '.$year.' '.$wda
+y.' '.$yday;

$dd[9] = -M $xxfn1;
$dd[10] = -M $xxfn2;

if ( index(lc($xxfn1),'ky2.gif') > -1 ) {
  out_exclusive('c:/usr/www/test.txt', @dd);
}

}
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Results are

0
C:/Steep/USA Data/State/KY/ky2.GIF
C:/usr/www/steepusa/stage/KY/KY2.GIF
1415033875
1415033875
55 57 11 3 11 2014 1 306
55 57 11 3 11 2014 1 306
1415033875
1415033875
-0.035775462962963
-0.035775462962963

The 2nd file has the same stat 9 as the first. The 2nd should be 11/2.

I did try the -M and the test failed with the 2 large negative numbers (???) that are the same. I also tried the defined tests at the top of the subroutine and captured the stat 9 values if defined. They were defined and are the same. Also, I do use strict and -w flag.

Original code restored below by GrandFather

sub cftsain { 

  my ($xxfn1, $xxfn2) = @_;
my @dd = ();
  # Copy the image file if not there or changed.
$dd[0] = 0;
  if (!-e $xxfn2) {
    copy "$xxfn1", "$xxfn2";
  } else {
      # Database image newer than staging space image.
      if ( ( stat "$xxfn1" )[9] > ( stat "$xxfn2" )[9] ) {      
        copy "$xxfn1", "$xxfn2";
$dd[0] = 1;     
      }

    }

$dd[1] = $xxfn1;
$dd[2] = $xxfn2;
$dd[3] = ( stat "$xxfn1" )[9];
$dd[4] = ( stat "$xxfn2" )[9];

my($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$mon,$year,$wday,$yday,$isdst) = localtime($d
+d[3]);
$year = $year+1900;
$mon = $mon+1;
$dd[5] = $sec.' '.$min.' '.$hour.' '.$mday.' '.$mon.' '.$year.' '.$wda
+y.' '.$yday;

($sec,$min,$hour,$mday,$mon,$year,$wday,$yday,$isdst) = localtime($dd[
+4]);
$year = $year+1900;
$mon = $mon+1;
$dd[6] = $sec.' '.$min.' '.$hour.' '.$mday.' '.$mon.' '.$year.' '.$wda
+y.' '.$yday;

if ( index(lc($xxfn1),'ky2.gif') > -1 ) {
  out_exclusive('c:/usr/www/test.txt', @dd);
}

}
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