open(F, '<', $File::Find::name) or die "..."; my $tmp = $File::Find::name . " - new"; # see comment below open(G, '>', $tmp) or die "..."; for (1..4) { }; # don't copy the first four lines while () { print G } close(G); close(F); rename($tmp, $File::Find::name) or warn "unable to replace $File::Find::name: $!\n";