$ cpan
> install File::Slurp
> quit

$ mkdir fileslurp
$ cd fileslurp
$ perldoc File::Slurp
# This next bit is cut and paste:
$ cat > t.pl
               use File::Slurp;

               $all_of_it = read_file($filename);
               @all_lines = read_file($filename);

               write_file($filename, @contents)

               overwrite_file($filename, @new_contnts);

               append_file($filename, @additional_contents);

               @files = read_dir($directory);


$ vi t.pl


##</code><code>##

<P>
#!/home/toma/perl58i/bin/perl
#!/home/toma/perl58i/bin/perl -d:ptkdb
#
# Tom Anderson
# Sat Jan 11 12:31:00 PST 2003
#
# Program to try out File::Slurp
#
#

my $VERSION=".01";

use strict;
use warnings;
use diagnostics;

use File::Slurp;

my $filename = "/etc/passwd";
my $all_of_it = read_file($filename);

print $all_of_it;