for $foo ('a'..'c') { open FH,'|-', 'cat -'; select FH; for $bar (1..rand 10) { write } $- = 0; close FH; } format FH_TOP = =@= $foo . format FH = @ $bar . __END__ =a= 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2