different approach using Tie::File (should also work w/large files): 
perl -MTie::File -MFcntl=O_RDONLY -le 'tie @array, "Tie::File", shift,
+ mode => O_RDONLY or die $!; print scalar @array' /etc/hosts

[download]
.. and of course there's wc on *nix or from ppt

In reply to Re: Count number of lines in a text file by davidrw
in thread Count number of lines in a text file by Scott7477

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