perl -E"say qq[\@record ${\($_-1)}\n\@pqrs\n+record ${\($_-1)}\n+pqrs\n\@record $_\nabcd\n+record $_\nefgh] for map{ $_*2-1 } 1 .. 25" > test.fastq C:\test>head test.fastq @record 0 @pqrs +record 0 +pqrs @record 1 abcd +record 1 efgh @record 2 @pqrs