OK - looking around on the Web, I've found three "content->scalar" equations:

{ local $/; $content = <HANDLE> } 

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open FILE, "inputfile" or die "Couldn't open file"; 
$content.=<FILE> 
close FILE; 

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open FILE, 'inputfile' or die "Could not open file inputfile: $!"; 
sysread(FILE, my $content, -s FILE); 
close FILE or die "Could not close file: $!";
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Is this what you're referring to and if so, can you please recommend which one of the above I should try using?

Thanks again,

-Bob