if ($q->param('name') =~ /\|/ || $q->param('site') =~ /\|/ || $q->param('siteid') =~ /\|/ # and so on.... ) { # whatever... #### foreach my $p (qw(name site siteid ...)) { if ($q->param($p) =~ /\|/) { error("$p has a vertical bar, that's bad"); # or something } }