I do "use strict;" also "use diagnostics -verbose;" I just did not add them to the code I pasted in my scratchpad. I am still trying to grasp the concept of how variables are declared and how they are used. As I said, I have only been using Perl for 1 1/2 weeks. That is how long I have had the Lama and the Camel and I only discovered the Monastery about a week ago.