LINE: while (){ print "I am here B\n"; chomp; my $entry_no_old = $entry_no_new; # a bit of a work around used here if ($_ =~ /^(\d{1,3})\t(\d{3,5})/){ next LINE if $1 < $start_point; print "I am here C\n"; $entry_no_new = $1; last LINE if ($entry_no_new > $entry_no_old);