my $logFile = "/icd/rc/genus22/logs/genus_221/v22.10-d037/lnx86_64_opt/1/tamper.log"; open (my $fh, '<', $logFile) or reportErr($!); if ( grep{": FAIL"}<$fh>) #FAIL found anywhere in file! { do something... exit or return... } # text "Fail" not found if here do whatever... sub reportErr { my $error_text = shift; do something... }