Need to modify several XML files with Perl script in Linux env -

i have several xml files named tc_circle1, tc_circle2, `tc_point1, etc in directory , want use script update start , stop dates in each file. start , stop dates inside , tags in each file.

i had script worked when using sun machines not working on new hp linux machines. doesn't show errors , doesn't change dates. need getting work in linux. script:

#!/usr/local/bin/perl $numargs = @argv; if ($numargs != 2)  { print "usage: replace_default_date.pl default_start_date default_stop_date\n"; }  @filenames = `ls tc*`; chomp(@filenames); foreach $file (@filenames) {   open(regfile, "$file") || die "cannot open |$file|";   @lines = <regfile>;    close(regfile);    open(writefile), ">$file") || die "cannot open |$file|";    foreach $line (@lines)   {     if ($line =~ /default_start_date/)     {       $newline = "  " . $argv[0];       print writefile "$newline\n";     }     elsif ($line =~ /default_stop_date/)     {       $newline = "  " . $argv[1];       print writefile "$newline\n";     }     else      {       print writefile "$line\n";     }   }   close  (writefile); } 

here's how files modified @ beginning:

<requestsomething xmlns="http://something.com/accessservice">    <period xmlns="">      <start>2013-03-06t00:00:00</start>      <stop>2013-03-07t00:00:00</stop>    </period>     ... rest of xml file...  </requestsomething> 

thanks in advance, crystal

there several problems script.

1) there compile error because of closing parenthesis:

open(writefile), ">$file") || die "cannot open |$file|";

should writting

open(writefile, ">$file") || die "cannot open |$file|";

2) should use backticks instead of single quotes in

@filenames = 'ls tc*'; 

otherwise @filenames contain string 'ls tc*' instead of actual list of filenames:

@filenames = `ls tc*`; 

3) sure path perl interpreter /usr/local/bin/perl ? (try which perl command line check path). if not first line should changed.

4) script never work on xml data showed since designed replace lines contain strings default_start_date , default_stop_date (with dates provided arguments script). these strings not appear in data showed us.

however, script work if xml file this:

<requestsomething xmlns="http://something.com/accessservice">        <period xmlns="">       <start>           default_start_date            </start>       <stop>           default_stop_date       </stop>     </period>      ... rest of xml file...  </requestsomething> 

i hope work, anyway recommend rewrite script because uses unreliable , dangerous way of changing xml files.