If possible, I'd break this into two tasks: Parsing the input file, and then processing the data. (I am assuming the intent is to do the same thing with all the files, just that the data format is slightly different.)

The end result I'd be aiming for is a script and several modules (one per data format, most likely). Then you run the script, have some way for it to figure out which parser to pass it to (either automatic or manual as a command-line switch), and have it then take back the data in some cannocial form (hash?) and do whatever you want.

(Note/Advertisement): If the data files are all line-oriented (that is: Each line can be read on it's own), my Mail::Log::Parse modules (which I'm working on generalizing, not that it needs much work) can do a lot of the heavy lifting of opening, buffering, seeking, and decompressing the files for you, leaving you to only writing one function for parsing per file format.)

In reply to Re: Refactoring copy-pasted code by DStaal
in thread Refactoring copy-pasted code by szabgab

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