# Get a line, combining continuation lines that start with whitespace sub get_line { my $thisline = $LOOKAHEAD; LINE: while ($LOOKAHEAD = ) { if ($LOOKAHEAD =~ /^[ \t]/) { $thisline .= $LOOKAHEAD}; else { last LINE}; } $thisline}; $LOOKAHEAD = ; # get first line while ($_ = get_line()) { ... }