bluethundr:

Perlbotics already told you about the perl variable vs. environment variable, and has also suggested using DBI to talk to your database, so I won't elaborate on those.

However, if you just want to get something working, I have a suggestion: You're running the same script four times and pulling out a different column each time. I suggest you run the script once, and let perl pull out the columns for you. Something like:

#!/bin/perl

# credentials / environment variables
$ORACLE_HOME="/u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0.4";
$ORACLE_SID=qaecom1;
$sqlplus="/u01/app/oracle/product/10.2.0.4/bin/sqlplus";
$USERNAME=dbuser;
$PASS=pass;
$SID=${ORACLE_SID};

# Get all the data at once
@TSPACES=`$sqlplus -s -l $USERNAME/$PASS@$SID \@/opt/bin/ops/mlb_table
+space.sql`;

# Now split the 4 columns you want into separate arrays,
# and then join those arrays in the order you want:
{
  my (@col1, @col2, @col3, @col4);
  for (@TSPACES) {
      my @cols = split;
      push @col1, $cols[0];
      push @col2, $cols[1];
      push @col3, $cols[2];
      push @col4, $cols[3];
  }
  @TSPACES = (@col1, @col2, @col3, @col4);
}

# ... the rest of your script
[download]

...roboticus

When your only tool is a hammer, all problems look like your thumb.