$out_file = "out1"; open (OUT, "$out_file"); while () { next unless $_; if (/Time: (..):(..):(..)/) { $hours = $1; $mins = $2; $secs = $3; } } close (OUT); print "hours =: $hours"; #### while () { if ($_ && /Time:\s+(\d+):(\d+):(\d+)/i) { $hours = $1; $mins = $2; $secs = $3; last; } } print "hours =: $hours"; __DATA__ Time: 04:45:12