#!/usr/bin/perl -l use strict; use warnings; while my ( $line = ) { my $field1 = ( split /\./, $line, 2 )[0]; print $field1; } __DATA__ Auto.VW.Golf.BJ Auto2.VW.Polo.BJ Auto3.Audi.A5.BJ Auto4.Audi.A4.BJ Auto5.Audi.A3.BJ