my $type; if ($B1=~ /^\*/ || $B2=~ /^\*/) { $type = "S"; } else { $type = "I"; } #### my $type = $B1 =~ /^\*/ || $B2 =~ /^\*/ ? "S" : "I"; #### my $type = grep(/^\*/, $B1, $B2) ? "S" : "I";