Yes I tried the input.

I test everything before I post it here. I have a test directory full of files called file, file1, file2, numfile, bigfile, blankfile, etc.

Nevertheless, it is difficult to test for every eventuality. It looks like the behaviour changes between 5.6 and 5.8:

    $ perl5.005_03 -ne '$$_++||print' infile
    here
    comes
    trouble
    Modification of a read-only value attempted at -e line 1, <> chunk
+ 4.


    $ perl5.6.1 -ne '$$_++||print' infile
    here
    comes
    trouble
    Modification of a read-only value attempted at -e line 1, <> chunk
+ 4.

    $ perl5.8.0 -ne '$$_++||print' infile
    here
    comes
    trouble
    1
    2
[download]

--
John.

Yes I tried the input.

Good. I thought you would have. I've learned to expect you to be rigorous. That's why I asked; I was surprised when it worked for me. I guess I should have known it was a version thing... now it all makes sense. :-) I'll update "my" solution, which really isn't "mine" at all, to reflect that.

Thanks, John.

-sauoq
"My two cents aren't worth a dime.";