OK Gary, here's some help that might get you started.

• To open a file you use the open function.
• To read data from a file a record at a time, you use the <FILEHANDLE> operator.
• To split a record into individual fields you probably want the split function.
• To learn about creating complex data structures you should read the perlreftut and perldsc manual pages.
• The definitive list of good Perl books is in perlfaq2.

Hope this helps.

p.s. As this is my 1000th post to the Monastery, I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank Larry, my family, my friends, london.pm, all the Perlmonks and everyone else who's ever met me for making it all so much fun :)

p.p.s. And an especially big thank you to the unknown lecturer from the University of London who is sending such interesting questions to us!

--
<http://www.dave.org.uk>

"The first rule of Perl club is you don't talk about Perl club."