#!/usr/bin/perl -w use strict; { local $/; my $line = ; $line =~ s/\n(?!\n)/, /g; $line =~ s/\n{2,}/\n/g; print $line; } __DATA__ !1,111 22,22? .33,33// 4,444!! ::5,555 &&66,66 45,54@@ 4,554<< ``4,654{ --- Output: !1,111, 22,22?, .33,33// , 4,444!!, ::5,555, &&66,66 , 45,54@@, 4,554<<, ``4,654{