You're code is correct, in that you are attempting to copy a binary spreadsheet file directly to the port of a printer. As you discovered, this is not the way to actually have any readable output. What you have to do is to use the print functionality of a spreadsheet application to send formatted printer control language data to the file. That is, you are trying to use Perl to do the equivalent of File->Open, File->Print. There are a couple of ways to approach that:

1. If you're using Windows, you can use Win32::OLE to control a program such as Excel and send the print command. A good overall example can be found at tek-tips, and right here at Perlmonks Using Win32::OLE and Excel - Tips and Tricks. You'll want to set the Excel visibility to 0 (so you don't see the application when you are running it) and you want to use the PrintOut method of the active sheet to actually print the file
2. If you're using OpenOffice.org, it has its own programming interface that you can use to open the file and print it.
3. If you want just the raw data, you could use Spreadsheet::ParseExcel (if you're using an Excel file) to get the cell contents programatically and then use the Perl system command to invoke lpr on the resulting formatted text.

Because of the operating system specific nature of printing (whether Windows, Mac, or *NIX), you need to tell us:

• What OS you're using (Win, Mac, Linux)
• What type of spreadsheet file you're using (Excel, OpenOffice.org, plain text CSV, something else

if you want truly detailed and good answers