C:\Users\repellent>type C:\perl_tests\test.txt abc cde efg C:\Users\repellent>type t.pl #opening a file, checking the error code. $fname='C:\perl_tests\test.txt'; open xyz, $fname or die "Error in open:$!"; while(){ print "line number $. is : $_"; } C:\Users\repellent>perl t.pl line number 1 is : abc line number 2 is : cde line number 3 is : efg