I get the file name by passing an argument to the script but when I want a prompt to ask a question to the user, the script reads the first fileHandle (used to read the file) and returns the first line of that file!!!

 #!/usr/bin/env perl

# this script takes one argument : the name of a text file
# it reads every line and put them in a variable
# then it ask for a atomic symbol and append it to the variable
# PROBLEM: the function "askAtomSymbol" reads the wrong fileHandle!!!!

# use this script like:
# perl someTextFile.txt

use strict;
use warnings;

# I get the file name with the only one argument
my $fileIN  = $ARGV[0];

# I open a file, make some treatment to each line and create a new fil
+e
# I make sur the fileHandle is closed after the loop is done
my $currentLine;
my $theFile = "";
open(my $in, "<", $fileIN) or die "Can't open $fileIN: $!";
while (<$in>) {
    $currentLine = $_;
    $theFile .= $currentLine;
}
close($in) or die "Can't close $fileIN: $!";


# I call a function to create a new file
# in this exemple I oversimplify this function
# the fileHandle <$in> should be closed but it seems not...
my $finalFile = buildFile($theFile);

print $finalFile;


#This function ask for an atom symbol
#and append it to the file passed in argument
sub buildFile {
    my ($newFile) = @_;
    
    my $atom = askAtomSymbol(); # returns the first line of the file p
+assed in script argument <$in>!!!!!
    #my $atom = "C";            # if I choose this simple line instead
+, everything is fine

    print "\natom: --$atom--\n\n";
    
    $newFile = $newFile . $atom . "\n";

    return $newFile;
}

sub askAtomSymbol {
    my $atomSymbol;
    
    print "Enter atom symbol:\n >";

    chomp ($atomSymbol = <>);   # no prompt at the screen, it reads th
+e first line of <$in>  !!!!!
    print "atom: --$atomSymbol--\n";

    return $atomSymbol;
}
[download]

---

---

Posts are HTML formatted. Put <p> </p> tags around your paragraphs. Put <code> </code> tags around your code and data!

Titles consisting of a single word are discouraged, and in most cases are disallowed outright.

Read Where should I post X? if you're not absolutely sure you're posting in the right place.

Please read these before you post! —

• How do I compose an effective node title?
• How do I post a question effectively?
• Markup in the Monastery

Posts may use any of the Perl Monks Approved HTML tags:

a, abbr, b, big, blockquote, br, caption, center, col, colgroup, dd, del, details, div, dl, dt, em, font, h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, hr, i, ins, li, ol, p, pre, readmore, small, span, spoiler, strike, strong, sub, summary, sup, table, tbody, td, tfoot, th, thead, tr, tt, u, ul, wbr

You may need to use entities for some characters, as follows. (Exception: Within code tags, you can put the characters literally.)

	For:		Use:
	&		&
	<		&lt;
	>		&gt;
	[		&#91;
	]		&#93;

Link using PerlMonks shortcuts! What shortcuts can I use for linking?

See Writeup Formatting Tips and other pages linked from there for more info.