#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

use Data::Dumper;

my %mdata;

# using <DATA> for now
open FI, "<", "f:\\cyclecount.txt" or die "open failed $!"; # get file from ini

while (<DATA>) {
    chomp;
    next unless (s/\^/\^/g == 4);
    my @rec = split /\^/;
    # $mdata{PKEY} = $rec[0];
    my $pkey = trim_trailing($rec[0]);
    %mdata = (
        $pkey => {
        ABC  => trim_trailing($rec[1]),
        DESC => trim_trailing($rec[2]),
        UNIT => trim_trailing($rec[3]),
        LOC  => trim_trailing($rec[4])
        }
    )
}

close FI or warn $!;
print Dumper \%mdata;

sub trim_trailing {
    my $s = shift;
    $s =~ s/\s+$//;
    return $s
}


__DATA__
0V704-B   ^B^STERILE OR TOWELS             ^CS/20 EA       ^A/2/1     
0ZS-050   ^B^ZERO WET SPLASHIELD           ^EA            ^H/2/1     
00E7507   ^B^POLYHESIVE II                 ^CS/50 EA       ^H/3/3     
00ER320   ^A^APPLIER MULTIPLE CLIP MED/LG  ^BX/3 EA        ^G/6/4     
00H-334   ^B^SUCTION POLY TRAP             ^EA             ^G/4/5     
000V400   ^B^LAP SPONGES                   ^CS/40 EA       ^A/2/1