# Now after reading the user inputs for updating the file as follow my @updateInfo; my @updateInfo = "$inputONE\t$inputTwo\t$inputThree"; if ( $currentData{$line} ) { print "the info exists already\n"; exit; } else { print " your info is being saved and the file is updated\n"; exit; #### @updateInfo = join( "\t", @inputs ); #### if ( $currentData{$updateInfo} ) { ......