try this:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

# These files have this format:
# filename::line number (e.g., 1.txt::1)
 
my @files = (
        "1.txt",
        "2.txt",
        "3.txt",
             );

my $total_strings = 9;
my $cur_pos = 0;
my $next_pos = 0;

open(MIXED, ">mixed.txt") || die "(x) Failed: mixed.txt - $!\n";

  for (my $cur_string=1; $cur_string <= $total_strings; $cur_string++)
+ {

  print "\nCurrent String: $cur_string of $total_strings\n";

    foreach my $file (@files) {

        print " Opening File: $file\n";
        print " Current Position is: $cur_pos\n";

        open(FILE, $file) || die "(x) Failed: $file - $!\n";
         @file = <FILE>;
         $string = $file[$cur_pos];
         
        close(FILE);

           print " Read string: $string";
           #print MIXED $string;
           print " Next Position is: $next_pos\n\n";

      }
      $next_pos = $cur_pos + 1;
    $cur_pos = $next_pos;
  }

close(MIXED);
[download]

</code> my $name = 'Ben Kittrell'; $name=~s/^(.+)\s(.).+$/\L$1$2/g; my $nick = 'tha' . $name . 'sta';