blah ##
##

#!/usr/bin/perl
                                                                                
$start_pattern = '';
$end_pattern = '';
@files_to_look_in = ("test.html", "test.html");
                                                                                
$write_line = 0;
                                                                                
# while(@files_to_look_in) # original line (always true)
foreach (@files_to_look_in)
{
    #open(HTM_FILE, <$_); # original line (no "")
    open( HTM_FILE, "<$_" );
    while()
    {
        if($_=~/$start_pattern/i)
        {
            $write_line = 1;
        }
        if($_=~/$end_pattern/i)
        {
            $write_line = 0;
        }                                                                       
        if($write_line =~ '1') # better make that  if ( $write_line == 1 )   or simply if ( $write_line )
        {
            print "$_\n";
        }
    }
}