cycle through buffer

[Booher Timothy B 1stLt AFRL/MNAC]

Why can't I do something like this? Load everything to a buffer then cycle
through the buffer?

Thanks,

tim

#!/usr/bin/perl -w
open(MYFILE,'test2.txt');
while (<MYFILE>) {
    $buffer .= $_;
}
$lnum = 1;

while ($buffer) {
    chomp;
    next if /^\*+/ or /^\s*$/;
    my ($field, $value) = split /\s*:\s+/;
    $field =~ s/^\s+//;  # remove leading spaces from $field
    $value =~ s/\s+$//;  # remove trailing spaces from $value
    print qq{$lnum: "$field","$value"\n};
    $lnum++;
};



____________________________________________________
Timothy B Booher, Lt USAF, AFRL/MNAC
101 West Eglin Blvd, Suite 339 
Eglin AFB FL 32542-6810 
Phone: 850-882-8302 Ext. 3360 (DSN 872-)
FAX: 850-882-2201