Why re-invent the wheel? 
use Text::Tabs;
my $tabstop = 4;
@lines_with_tabs = unexpand(@lines_without_tabs);

[download]
This module is part of (my) core Perl.
--
bm

In reply to Re: whitespaces replace with tabs - help needed... by bm
in thread whitespaces replace with tabs - help needed... by star7

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