http://www.perlmonks.org?node_id=862193

$new_guy has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Dear Perl Monks,

Hello. I have a file "organized.txt". I would like to replace all but the first element in each line of the file with a "z". The file organized is attached - below!

I have written a script, below, but it only prints out the first element and not the other elements meant to be z's. Please tell me where I am going wrong with the script.

thanks

##my script 
#!usr/bin/perl 

my $FILENAME4 = "organized.txt";
open(DATA2, $FILENAME4);

#remove all previous re-organized files
my $remove_reorganized = "re-organized.txt";
if (unlink($remove_reorganized) == 1) {
                        print "Existing \"re-organized.txt\" file was 
+removed\n";
                          }
     
#now make a file for the ouput
       my $outputfile = "re-organized.txt";
           if (! open(POS, ">>$outputfile") ) {
            print "Cannot open file \"$outputfile\" to write to!!\n\n"
+;
                exit;
        }

while (my $organized = <DATA2>) {
        
#do some re-organizing
#sort out the group numbers first
 my ($first, $second) = split(/^\s{1}/, $organized);
    $first =~ /(\d+){1}/;
    my $first_num = $1;

#now sort out the other data

#create an array to hold the data 
    my @storage = ();
    my @final_storage = ();
    
    my @second = split(/\s+/, $second);
        
    foreach my $second_num(@second){
           $second_num =~ s/(\w+)/z/g;
           @storage = $second_num;
           push (@storage, $1);
           }
         push @final_storage, $storage[$_] foreach 0..$#storage;
         print POS "$first_num @final_storage\n";
}

[download]
## my data file - organized 
0     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+     SPD HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3   3850_8_2  3850_7_11   3850_8_7   3850_1_6  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8  3850_1_12  3850_1_11   3850_2_8   3850_1_1   3850_1_4 
+         -   3850_2_7   3850_6_7   3850_5_9  3850_6_11   3850_5_5   3
+850_7_2   3850_6_9  3850_6_10   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2   3850
+_5_7  3850_6_12   3850_3_9   3850_1_3   3850_6_8  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9   3850_7_6   3850_6_5  3850_5_10   3850_6_6   3850_2_2   3850_1_2  
+ 3850_6_4   3850_5_3   3850_5_1   3850_6_3   3850_8_9   3850_3_8   38
+50_5_6   3850_7_8   3850_3_3   3850_2_1   3850_3_5   3850_8_5  3850_3
+_11   3850_2_5   3850_3_7   3850_2_3  3850_8_11   3850_7_5   3850_5_4
+   3850_6_1   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10  3850_7_10   3850_3_6  3
+850_5_11   3850_3_2  3850_3_12   3850_8_4  3850_8_12   3850_8_1   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6   3850_7_9   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1  3850_8_10   3850_7_7   3850_5_2 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
0     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837          -        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3   3850_8_2  3850_7_11          -   3850_1_6  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8  3850_1_12          -   3850_2_8   3850_1_1          - 
+         -   3850_2_7          -   3850_5_9  3850_6_11   3850_5_5   3
+850_7_2          -  3850_6_10   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2   3850
+_5_7  3850_6_12   3850_3_9   3850_1_3          -  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9   3850_7_6          -  3850_5_10   3850_6_6   3850_2_2          -  
+        -   3850_5_3          -   3850_6_3   3850_8_9   3850_3_8   38
+50_5_6   3850_7_8   3850_3_3   3850_2_1   3850_3_5   3850_8_5  3850_3
+_11   3850_2_5   3850_3_7   3850_2_3  3850_8_11   3850_7_5   3850_5_4
+   3850_6_1   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10  3850_7_10          -  3
+850_5_11   3850_3_2  3850_3_12   3850_8_4  3850_8_12          -   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6          -   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1  3850_8_10   3850_7_7   3850_5_2 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
0     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837          -        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3          -  3850_7_11          -          -  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8  3850_1_12          -   3850_2_8          -          - 
+         -   3850_2_7          -          -          -   3850_5_5    
+      -          -  3850_6_10   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2       
+   -  3850_6_12   3850_3_9   3850_1_3          -  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9   3850_7_6          -          -          -   3850_2_2          -  
+        -   3850_5_3          -          -   3850_8_9   3850_3_8   38
+50_5_6   3850_7_8          -   3850_2_1          -          -  3850_3
+_11   3850_2_5   3850_3_7   3850_2_3  3850_8_11          -   3850_5_4
+          -   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10          -          -   
+       -   3850_3_2  3850_3_12          -          -          -   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6          -   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1          -   3850_7_7   3850_5_2 
+  3850_7_3          - 
0     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837          -        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3          -          -          -          -  3850_2_10         
+ -   3850_8_8  3850_1_12          -   3850_2_8          -          - 
+         -   3850_2_7          -          -          -   3850_5_5    
+      -          -  3850_6_10   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2       
+   -  3850_6_12          -   3850_1_3          -  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -   3850_5_3          -          -   3850_8_9          -     
+     -   3850_7_8          -   3850_2_1          -          -  3850_3
+_11          -   3850_3_7          -          -          -          -
+          -          -   3850_5_8  3850_3_10          -          -   
+       -   3850_3_2  3850_3_12          -          -          -   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6          -   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12          -  3850_2_11          -          -          -          - 
+  3850_7_3          - 
0     SPN23F       SPCG          -        spr          -        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837          -        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -  3850_2_10         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -   3850_5_5    
+      -          -          -   3850_1_8   3850_3_1          -       
+   -          -          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -   3850_8_9          -     
+     -          -          -   3850_2_1          -          -  3850_3
+_11          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -   3850_3_2          -          -          -          -   385
+0_2_9          -          -   3850_3_4          -   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12          -  3850_2_11          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
0          -       SPCG          -        spr          -          -   
+       - HMPREF0837          -        SPG          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -   3850_1_8   3850_3_1          -       
+   -          -          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -   3850_2_1          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -   3850_3_2          -          -          -          -   385
+0_2_9          -          -   3850_3_4          -          -  3850_2_
+12          -  3850_2_11          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
0          -       SPCG          -        spr          -          -   
+       -          -          -        SPG          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -   3850_3_1          -       
+   -          -          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -   3850_2_1          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -   385
+0_2_9          -          -   3850_3_4          -          -         
+ -          -  3850_2_11          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
0          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
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+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -   3850_2_1          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
0          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
+   -          -          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -   3850_2_1          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+     SPD HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3   3850_8_2  3850_7_11   3850_8_7   3850_1_6  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8          -  3850_1_11   3850_2_8   3850_1_1   3850_1_4 
+  3850_7_4   3850_2_7   3850_6_7   3850_5_9  3850_6_11   3850_5_5   3
+850_7_2   3850_6_9  3850_6_10   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2       
+   -  3850_6_12   3850_3_9   3850_1_3   3850_6_8  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9   3850_7_6   3850_6_5  3850_5_10   3850_6_6   3850_2_2          -  
+ 3850_6_4   3850_5_3   3850_5_1          -   3850_8_9   3850_3_8     
+     -   3850_7_8   3850_3_3   3850_2_1   3850_3_5   3850_8_5  3850_3
+_11   3850_2_5   3850_3_7   3850_2_3  3850_8_11   3850_7_5   3850_5_4
+   3850_6_1   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10  3850_7_10   3850_3_6  3
+850_5_11   3850_3_2  3850_3_12   3850_8_4  3850_8_12   3850_8_1   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6   3850_7_9   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1  3850_8_10          -   3850_5_2 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585          -   385
+0_8_3   3850_8_2  3850_7_11   3850_8_7          -  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8          -          -   3850_2_8   3850_1_1   3850_1_4 
+  3850_7_4   3850_2_7   3850_6_7          -          -          -   3
+850_7_2          -          -   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2       
+   -  3850_6_12   3850_3_9   3850_1_3   3850_6_8  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9   3850_7_6          -  3850_5_10   3850_6_6   3850_2_2          -  
+        -   3850_5_3          -          -   3850_8_9   3850_3_8     
+     -   3850_7_8   3850_3_3   3850_2_1   3850_3_5   3850_8_5  3850_3
+_11   3850_2_5   3850_3_7   3850_2_3          -          -   3850_5_4
+          -   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10  3850_7_10          -   
+       -   3850_3_2          -   3850_8_4  3850_8_12   3850_8_1   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6   3850_7_9   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1  3850_8_10          -          - 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -   3850_8_2          -   3850_8_7          -  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12          -          -          -   3850_2_8          -          - 
+         -   3850_2_7   3850_6_7          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -   3850_3_1   3850_6_2       
+   -  3850_6_12   3850_3_9          -          -  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9          -          -  3850_5_10          -   3850_2_2          -  
+        -          -          -          -   3850_8_9   3850_3_8     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -  3850_3
+_11          -   3850_3_7   3850_2_3          -          -   3850_5_4
+          -   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10          -          -   
+       -   3850_3_2          -          -  3850_8_12          -   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6   3850_7_9   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12          -  3850_2_11          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -   3850_8_2          -          -          -  3850_2_10         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -   3850_6_7          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -   3850_3_1   3850_6_2       
+   -  3850_6_12   3850_3_9          -          -          -          
+-          -          -  3850_5_10          -   3850_2_2          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -   3850_3_8     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -  3850_3
+_11          -          -   3850_2_3          -          -          -
+          -          -          -  3850_3_10          -          -   
+       -   3850_3_2          -          -          -          -   385
+0_2_9          -          -   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12          -  3850_2_11          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
+   -  3850_6_12          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -  3850_5_10          -   3850_2_2          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -   3850_3_4          -   3850_2_4         
+ -          -  3850_2_11          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -        SPH   
+       - HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
+   -  3850_6_12          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
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+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
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1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -          -   
+       - HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
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+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
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+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
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+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -          -   
+       - HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
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+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -        
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+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -          -   
+       - HMPREF0837          -        SPG    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
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+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
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+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr          -          -   
+       - HMPREF0837          -          -    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
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+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG          -        spr          -          -   
+       - HMPREF0837          -          -    SP70585          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
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+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
+          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
1     SPN23F       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
+       - HMPREF0837          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -       
+   -          -          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
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1     SPN23F       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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1     SPN23F       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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1     SPN23F       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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1     SPN23F       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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1     SPN23F       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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1          -       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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1          -       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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1          -       SPCG          -          -          -          -   
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2     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
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+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
2     SPN23F          -        SPJ          -        SPP        SPH   
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+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
2     SPN23F          -        SPJ          -          -          -   
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+0_8_3          -          -   3850_8_7   3850_1_6          -         
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+  -          -          -   3850_2_3  3850_8_11   3850_7_5          -
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+       -          -  3850_3_12   3850_8_4  3850_8_12   3850_8_1   385
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+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
2          -          -          -          -          -          -   
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+12          -          -   3850_7_1          -          -          - 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
2          -          -          -          -          -          -   
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+    -          -          -          -  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12          -          -   3850_7_1          -          -          - 
+         -   3850_1_7 
2          -          -          -          -          -          -   
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+9          -          -  3850_5_10          -   3850_2_2          -  
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2          -          -          -          -          -          -   
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+   -          -          -          -          -          -   3850_1_
+9          -          -          -          -          -          -  
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2          -          -          -          -          -          -   
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+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
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+   -          -          -          -          -          -   3850_1_
+9          -          -          -          -          -          -  
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+         -          - 
3     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+     SPD HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3   3850_8_2  3850_7_11   3850_8_7   3850_1_6  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8  3850_1_12  3850_1_11   3850_2_8   3850_1_1   3850_1_4 
+  3850_7_4   3850_2_7   3850_6_7   3850_5_9  3850_6_11   3850_5_5   3
+850_7_2   3850_6_9  3850_6_10   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2   3850
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+9   3850_7_6   3850_6_5  3850_5_10   3850_6_6   3850_2_2   3850_1_2  
+ 3850_6_4   3850_5_3   3850_5_1   3850_6_3   3850_8_9   3850_3_8   38
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+_11   3850_2_5   3850_3_7   3850_2_3  3850_8_11   3850_7_5   3850_5_4
+   3850_6_1   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10  3850_7_10   3850_3_6  3
+850_5_11   3850_3_2  3850_3_12   3850_8_4  3850_8_12   3850_8_1   385
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+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1  3850_8_10   3850_7_7   3850_5_2 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
3     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+     SPD HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3   3850_8_2  3850_7_11   3850_8_7   3850_1_6  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8  3850_1_12  3850_1_11   3850_2_8   3850_1_1   3850_1_4 
+  3850_7_4   3850_2_7   3850_6_7   3850_5_9  3850_6_11   3850_5_5   3
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+9   3850_7_6   3850_6_5  3850_5_10   3850_6_6   3850_2_2   3850_1_2  
+ 3850_6_4   3850_5_3   3850_5_1   3850_6_3   3850_8_9   3850_3_8   38
+50_5_6   3850_7_8   3850_3_3   3850_2_1   3850_3_5   3850_8_5  3850_3
+_11   3850_2_5   3850_3_7   3850_2_3  3850_8_11   3850_7_5   3850_5_4
+   3850_6_1   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10  3850_7_10   3850_3_6  3
+850_5_11   3850_3_2  3850_3_12   3850_8_4  3850_8_12   3850_8_1   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6   3850_7_9   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1  3850_8_10   3850_7_7   3850_5_2 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
3     SPN23F       SPCG        SPJ        spr        SPP        SPH   
+     SPD HMPREF0837         SP        SPG    SP70585        SPT   385
+0_8_3   3850_8_2  3850_7_11   3850_8_7   3850_1_6  3850_2_10  3850_5_
+12   3850_8_8  3850_1_12  3850_1_11   3850_2_8   3850_1_1   3850_1_4 
+  3850_7_4   3850_2_7   3850_6_7   3850_5_9  3850_6_11   3850_5_5    
+      -   3850_6_9  3850_6_10   3850_1_8   3850_3_1   3850_6_2   3850
+_5_7  3850_6_12   3850_3_9   3850_1_3   3850_6_8  3850_7_12   3850_1_
+9   3850_7_6   3850_6_5  3850_5_10   3850_6_6   3850_2_2   3850_1_2  
+ 3850_6_4   3850_5_3   3850_5_1   3850_6_3   3850_8_9   3850_3_8   38
+50_5_6   3850_7_8          -   3850_2_1   3850_3_5   3850_8_5  3850_3
+_11          -   3850_3_7   3850_2_3  3850_8_11   3850_7_5   3850_5_4
+   3850_6_1   3850_2_6   3850_5_8  3850_3_10          -   3850_3_6  3
+850_5_11   3850_3_2  3850_3_12   3850_8_4  3850_8_12          -   385
+0_2_9   3850_8_6   3850_7_9   3850_3_4  3850_1_10   3850_2_4  3850_2_
+12   3850_1_5  3850_2_11   3850_7_1  3850_8_10   3850_7_7   3850_5_2 
+  3850_7_3   3850_1_7 
3          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -   3850
+_5_7          -          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -        
+  -          -          -          -          -          -          -
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+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          - 
3          -          -          -          -          -          -   
+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -          -          -          -          -    
+      -          -          -          -          -          -   3850
+_5_7          -          -          -          -          -          
+-          -          -          -          -          -          -  
+        -          -          -          -          -          -     
+     -          -          -          -          -          -        
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+       -          -          -          -          -          -      
+    -          -          -          -          -          -         
+ -          -          -          -          -          -          - 
+         -          -

[download]
## my result so far 
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[download]

20100928 Janitored by Corion: Added readmore tag

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Re: regular expessions question: (replacing words)
by jethro (Monsignor) on Sep 27, 2010 at 12:28 UTC

    Less example data would have been better, less scrolling to do ;-)

    Also please use 'use warnings' and 'use strict'

    One error I can see is in this line: @storage = $second_num; In short, the line does nothing sensible, even prevents the array from getting filled and should be removed completely.

    Another problem: my ($first, $second) = split(/^\s{1}/, $organized); Using '^' in a split would only make sense if you wanted to split a file into separate lines (you also would need the regex-modifier m). But since you want to split one line, '^' makes this line simply a no-op. Also "\s{1}" is identical to "\s". So you could just write "split(/\s/, ..."

    @final_storage seems superfluous, but in case you need it, copying the array would be as easy as @final_storage= @storage;

    Finally, all this stuff you are doing step by step could be done by a simple regex if it is guaranteed that all elements except the first one have a space before them:

    while (my $organized = <DATA2>) {
    $organized=~s/(\s)\w+/$1z/g;
    print $organized;
}

    [download]

    UPDATE: Thanks to jwkrahn for noticing that \s in the replacement isn't really working. Changed to use parentheses and $1

[reply]
[d/l]
[select]
          $organized=~s/\s\w+/\sz/g;

      [download]

      You are, for example, replacing the string " something" with the string "sz" instead of " z".

[reply]
[d/l]
      Hi Jethro, Thanks a lot for the useful reply. I will follow your advice and also try the script. I also just came up with this script and it worked. Any comments on it? (i would really appreciate it!!) 
      #!usr/bin/perl 

my $FILENAME4 = "organized.txt";
open(DATA2, $FILENAME4);

#remove all previous re-organized files
my $remove_reorganized = "re-organized.txt";
if (unlink($remove_reorganized) == 1) {
                        print "Existing \"re-organized.txt\" file was 
+removed\n";
                          }
     
#now make a file for the ouput
       my $outputfile = "re-organized.txt";
           if (! open(POS, ">>$outputfile") ) {
            print "Cannot open file \"$outputfile\" to write to!!\n\n"
+;
                exit;
        }

while (my $organized = <DATA2>) {
        
#do some re-organizing
#sort out the group numbers first

$organized =~ s/(\w+)[^(^\d+)(\s)]/z/g;
my $organized2 = $organized;
$organized2 =~ s/z(\d+)/z/g;

print POS $organized2;   
}

      [download]
      Thanks, $new_guy
[reply]
[d/l]
        $organized =~ s/(\w+)[^(^\d+)(\s)]/z/g;

        [download]

        In a regular expression [ ... ] is a character set. What you told perl to look for is a word followed by ONE character that is not a '(', ')','^' or '+' and neither a number nor a space character.

        Since the first word in your lines seems to be a single digit number (at least in your sample data), it is just coincidence that it isn't replaced. Any word of length 1 will not be replaced. Also any word aka element with a number or any of the other characters above as last character would not be replaced.

        In short, if these lines work for you, it probably is just a coincidence

        Maybe you should use more variable test data to check for edge cases, for example try:

        5 suf 6 va7 7dra de) e+f
ed ed 5z5
nu3 b
+4 s 5 +
33 44 55
z5 zb zzz
zb z5 4zz

        [download]

        PS: Please reread my first post, I had to correct an error in my regex

[reply]
[d/l]
[select]
        my $FILENAME4 = "organized.txt";
open(DATA2, $FILENAME4);

        [download]

        You should always verify that the file opened correctly. 

        my $FILENAME4 = "organized.txt";
open DATA2, '<', $FILENAME4 or die "Cannot open '$FILENAME4' $!";

        [download]

        #remove all previous re-organized files
my $remove_reorganized = "re-organized.txt";
if (unlink($remove_reorganized) == 1) {
                        print "Existing \"re-organized.txt\" file was 
+removed\n";
                          }
     
#now make a file for the ouput
       my $outputfile = "re-organized.txt";
           if (! open(POS, ">>$outputfile") ) {
            print "Cannot open file \"$outputfile\" to write to!!\n\n"
+;
                exit;
        }

        [download]

        If you open the file for output instead of append then you don't have to delete the file first as that is a side effect when you open for output. 

        # make a file for the ouput
my $outputfile = "re-organized.txt";
open POS, '>', $outputfile or die "Cannot open file '$outputfile' to w
+rite to because: $!";

        [download]

        $organized =~ s/(\w+)[^(^\d+)(\s)]/z/g;

        [download]

        You are using a regular expression that says: match one or more word characters followed by a single character that is not the character '(' or '^' or any digit or '+' or ')' or any whitespace, which does not make sense.    It could be that you do not understand how character classes work?

[reply]
[d/l]
[select]
[reply]
        Any comments on it?
        Yeah, use an indentation style that makes sense. Indentation is there for *humans* only. It isn't some sort of magical lube that makes your program runs faster, and all that matters is to have some of it.
[reply]

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