How to handle null elements inside an array

[Anirban Adhikary]

Hi List

I would like to process a file which has the following structure.

SCGR  SC  DEV            DEV1           NUMDEV  DCP  STATE  REASON
   1        0                                             31           1

SCGR  SC  DEV            DEV1           NUMDEV  DCP  STATE  REASON
   2        0                                             31           1

SCGR  SC  DEV            DEV1           NUMDEV  DCP  STATE  REASON
   3        0                                              31          1

SCGR  SC  DEV            DEV1           NUMDEV  DCP  STATE  REASON
   4        0                                              31          1

Condition is if any field is empty (In this case DEV and DEV1)  those has
to be replaced by the keyword "NULL". When I am trying to split the line
based on whitespace
@elements = split(/\s+/,$line);
in $element[2] entire blank space is coming upto NUMDEV1. so while printing
I am not getting the proper output.

How to resolve this problem?

Best Regards
Anirban.