Re: Extract lines and output...

[jeroenes]

There are so many ways to do this. Maybe straightforward, don't print until $. is 4 (see perlvar):

while(<>){
  next if $. <4;
  #codeblockdoingsomeotherthings
  print;
}

HTH,

Jeroen

Update: I couldn't resist adding some more possibilities:

#1 slurping the whole thing in memory, and splice 
@file = <>;
splice @file, 0, 4;
print @file;

#2 using the flip-flop operator
while (<>){
  next unless $.>3 .. 1;
  #...
  print;
}

#3 another flip-flop
$start = -3;
while (<>){
  next unless $start++ .. 1;
  #....
  print;
}

#4 just repeat 4 times
$dummy=<> for 1..4;

#5 make it multifile proof
while (<>){
  close( ARGV) if (eof); 
 next unless $.>3 .. eof;
  #...
  print;
}