file name1:seq.txt ------------------- >ID_101 AGCTGAGTAGACTGA >ID_102 CGATGCTAGCTAGCTACAT >ID_103 ATCTTATCTTTTTATACC file name2:seq_updated.txt -------------------------- >ID_104 AATAGCTAGAAGGA >ID_105 AGATCGACTGAA >ID_106 ACTAGCTACGATATATTATATATAT my php page: ----------- $foo="ID_106" //ID to be searched. $cmd="perl split.pl $foo"; echo exec($cmd); my perl program: --------------- $bar=$ARGV[0]; print exec("grep -h -A 1 $bar *.txt");