use Modern::Perl; { local $/ = ".EON\n\n"; while ( my $record = ) { say "I found: $record"; # ... now do something with $record ... } } __DATA__ $ NAME : corry $$.Inc s d $$.Oc s $$.TO G1 ty n1 EE EE M T1 T2 $$SRU G2 n1 y OO OO M T3 T4 $$SRU .EON $ NAME : patrick $$.Inc c d $$.Oc c $$.TO G1 td n3 EE EE M T5 T6 $$SRU G2 n3 y OO OO M T7 T8 $$SRU .EON