while () { @fields = split(/:/, $_); $wd = substr($fields[0], 0, 1); if($wd eq "/") { my $rtn = search ($fields[0], UNUSED); #Returns 1 if #fields[0] is found in UNUSED. print "Return is = $rtn \n"; if($rtn == 1) { print "Writing to CHANGED. \n"; print CHANGED "$fields[0] \n"; # print NEW; #This works in IF but not in ELSE ? } else { print "Writing to NEW \n"; print NEW "$fields[0] \n"; #This works # print NEW; #This does not } } }