Thanks for clarifying my bug. Like I said I am coming in after someone and trying to clean up their code which had errors to begin with. I have tried it all ways with backticks without and every other permutation there of and when I used your code: my $sed_command = 'sed -e :a -e '$d;N;2,3ba' -e 'P;D' /db2/$DB2DBDFT/Messages/temp.txt'; I got this: Scalar found where operator expected at report.pl line 187, near "'sed -e :a -e '$d" (Missing operator before $d?) syntax error at report.pl line 187, near "'sed -e :a -e '$d" Bad name after ba' at report.pl line 187. Any who I got rid of that code plus 3 other lines and I get the same output from the email without any errors. This just illustrates the importance of commenting code because people come behind you and have to deal with your programs after you are long gone. Oops I couldn't my opinions to myself. THANK YOU to all of you that responded. I appreciate your help and explanations.