Read about the Range Operators, especially the part where it explains how to use it in scalar context. This method can be applied to get at well defined blocks in your text file.

You should also take a look at XML::Simple which help in XML Parsing. If your xml files are huge, I recommend XML::Parser instead, but that would require some more effort to learn. Also check out XML::Parser::Lite.

Sample code for using the range operators.

#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict; use warnings;

while (<DATA>) {
    print if (/<marker>/ .. /<\/marker>/);
}

__DATA__
In scalar context, ".." returns a boolean value. The operator is bista
+ble,
like a flip-flop, and emulates the line-range (comma) operator of sed,
+ awk,
and various editors.
<marker>
Each ".." operator maintains its own boolean state. It is
false as long as its left operand is false.
</marker>
Once the left operand is true, the
range operator stays true until the right operand is true, AFTER which
+ the
range operator becomes false again.
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