Re: How do I select first string of a two dimensional array to compare to other values?

[sundialsvc4]

It certainly looks to me that the print statement is within the while loop, such that it will print every value retrieved from the file-handle.   You do need the loop, presumably, because you have a next if test to exclude certain lines.   But, once you reach the point where the print statement is now located, you probably (instead ...) want to use a last statement to force a premature end to the while-loop:   the first value is now in $first_value, and you do not wish to continue reading.   After the } symbol which ends the while-loop, you can, if you like, put the print statement to see it.

If, later on in the program, you start another while loop using the same file-handle, it should resume reading the file where it left off.   (Unless you use fseek() to reposition it.)

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(In the future, it will help us considerably if you’ll routinely tell us more information:   a snippet of what the file looks like, and a brief description of what output you are seeing and why you feel that the output is wrong.)   Meanwhile, Welcome to the Monastery!!