vinian@cc:~$ echo "Just another perl monker" | perl -w -lane 'print $F[0..3]' Argument "" isn't numeric in array element at -e line 1, <> line 1. Just vinian@cc:~$ echo "Just another perl monker" | perl -w -lane 'print $F[1..3]' another vinian@cc:~$ echo "Just another perl monker" | perl -w -lane 'print $F[2..3]' Argument "" isn't numeric in array element at -e line 1, <> line 1. Just vinian@cc:~$ echo "Just another perl monker" | perl -w -lane 'print $F[3..3]' Argument "" isn't numeric in array element at -e line 1, <> line 1. Just