foreach $key(@totalkeys){ $NETID = $totalnetname{$key}; @ECLDATA = grep /^$NETID\|$datecompare/, @ECL_STAT; @ECL_STAT = grep !/^$NETID\|/, @ECL_STAT; @CELDATA = grep /^$NETID\|$datecompare/, @CEL_STAT; @CEL_STAT = grep !/^$NETID\|/, @CEL_STAT; # a lot more code................ }