split '|',     $line, 5;   # WRONG
split '\\|',   $line, 5;   # ok
split /\|/',   $line, 5;   # Better
split qr/\|/', $line, 5;   # Can also use qr//
split $re,     $line, 5;   # or compiled regexes

##</code><code>##

my @rec = = split /\|/, $line, 5;

##</code><code>##

my %rec;
@rec{qw( var1 var2 var3 var4 var5 )} = split /\|/, $line, 5;