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