use warnings; use strict; my $fg=0; my $i=0; open(FF ,"lib"); open (FF1,>lib1"); while() { my $lin =$_; print FF1 $lin; if ($lin=~m/pattern to be patched for stat copying/) { $fg=1; } if ($fg) { $lin=$_; my @arr =$lin[$i]; $i++; } if($lin=~m/pattern where to stop copying & repeating/) { $fg=0; } } if ($fg==0) { for (my $j=0;$j<$i;$j++) { print FF1 @arr[$j]; } }