open INFO, '<', 'testdoc.txt' or die "Can't open testdoc.txt: $!"; #### for (split//,$line) { $test = sprintf "\%3o\n", ord $_; if ($test == 14) { #### my $char = chr oct 14; while (my $line = ){ if ($line =~ m/\Q$char\E/){ # do whatever you want } }