-system("ls -lF $chewed_line >$temp_file");
-
-##print "file is: $temp_file\n";
-
-# drop the main payload, the list of directory info.
-system("cat $temp_file");
+# drop the main payload, the list of directory info, but also save that
+# info to a file for analysis.
+system("ls -HhlF $ls_dot_add $color_add $chewed_line");
+system("ls -HhlF $ls_dot_add $color_add $chewed_line > $temp_file");
+ # the color_add variable, if defined, will have flags for setting the
+ # directory listing color scheme.