You could use an array of arrays: 

# open FILE
while(<FILE>) {
  # The []'s make an anonymous array, so each element
  # of @lines is actually an array-ref.
  push @lines, [split /\|/, $_];
}

print "Yep.\n" if $lines[0][0] eq 'foo'; # it will

[download]

HTH.

Upd: oops, fixed my array indexes. :-)

Upd2: damn, what was I thinking? Changed @lines = [...] to proper push.

Upd3: ARGH!!! Thanks for the eq catch, buckaduck. That's what I get when I try to rush a post... :-(

bbfu
Seasons don't fear The Reaper.
Nor do the wind, the sun, and the rain.
We can be like they are.

In reply to (bbfu) (AoA?) Re: how do I open each line of a text file into seperate arrays? by bbfu
in thread how do I open each line of a text file into seperate arrays? by husani

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