RE: Load file into a scalar without File::Slurp

[turnstep]

Or the semi-obfuscated version: as long as you just emptied out $/, why not use it? :)

{
  local $/;
  $/ .= $_ while <STDIN>;
}

P.S. In general, you want to make changes to global variables a temporary condition, as in merlyn's do loop above, and the more general form:

{
  local $/; ## This is already undef, no need to set it
  ## Read in the file, etc...
}
## $/ is now back where it was

[chromatic]

Here's a shorter version of that. I feel dirty:

{
    local $/ = <STDIN>;
}

Note to anyone who has to look at $/ to understand this -- do not use this code. It's a seriously ugly thing.