Tip #1 from the Basic debugging checklist: warnings. I get this when I run your first example: 

Argument "\n" isn't numeric in addition (+) at ...

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I think you are enforcing numeric context by using + in your print. This works for me: 

print $string, "\n";

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And remember... Slurp it good :)

In reply to Re: Contents of a file into a scalar by toolic
in thread Contents of a file into a scalar by MarkofPerl

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