$toto = "tutu"; $tata = "titi"; $file = "/home/logarno/toto"; open(CANONICAL, "< $file"); while () { if (/\@$toto\s*\@$tata/){ goto NOUPDATE; } } close(CANONICAL); open(CANONICAL, ">> $file"); print CANONICAL "\n\@$toto \@$tata"; NOUPDATE: close(CANONICAL);