my $test = "Joe's Store";

my $log_file = "c:\log.txt";
open(LOGFILE, "$log_file") or die("Could not open log file.");

while(<LOGFILE>){
    my ($item) = $1 if /(.*?)\*(.*?)\*(.*?)\*(.*?)\*(.*?)\*(.*?)\*(.*?)\*(.*?)$/;
    next if $seen{$item};
    print "$item<br>";
   print "$seen{$1}"; 
    $seen{$item}++;
    
    }
    
____DATA__FILE

Joe's Store N1*002113*pw12613x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N2*002113*pw12613x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N1*002113*pw12613x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N1*002113*pw12613x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N5*002113*pw12613x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Rental Company N1*002113*pw126513x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N6*002113*pw126513x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N1*002113*pw126513x*DX*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N8*002113*pw126513x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Joe's Store N9*002113*pw126513x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Rental Company N1*002113*pw126513x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Rental Company N2*002113*pw126513x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1
Travel X*003443*pw126513x*DI*4/15/2004*11:58:46*1510043*1

___END_DATA__FILE