#!/usr/bin/perl -w use strict; while () { chomp; my ($basedir, @dot_names) = split(/\./,$_); my $type = (split('/',$basedir))[-1]; my $school = "null"; $school=$dot_names[-2] if (@dot_names >1); #open the file here and use the variables as prefix for each line print "type: $type school: $school\n"; } =prints type: abc school: null type: def school: null type: abc school: cole type: abc school: drew type: def school: cole type: def school: drew =cut __DATA__ /home/test/abc/.date_run_dir /home/test/def/.date_run_dir /home/test/abc/.date_file_sent.email@wolverine.cole.edu /home/test/abc/.date_file_sent.dp3.drew.net /home/test/def/.date_file_sent.email@wolverine.cole.edu /home/test/def/.date_file_sent.dp3.drew.net