$_ //= '' for $user, $rip, $op, $srvrip, $from, $msgid, $msgdate, $msgtime;

##</code><code>##

$_ = defined ? $_ : '' for $user, $rip, $op, $srvrip, $from, $msgid, $msgdate, $msgtime;

##</code><code>##

use constant EMPTY_STRING => q{};
# .....
foreach ( $user, $rip, $op, $srvrip, $from, $msgid, $msgdate, $msgtime ) {
    $_ = EMPTY_STRING      # Alias propagates to foreach list.
        if not defined $_;
}